On Sunday, May 13, 1945, Marian Ellis of Lihu‘e embarked upon her reign as May Day queen following coronation ceremonies held at Lihu‘e’s Isenberg Hall, an occasion generally considered by the huge crowd in attendance to be the most colorful
On Sunday, May 13, 1945, Marian Ellis of Lihu‘e embarked upon her reign as May Day queen following coronation ceremonies held at Lihu‘e’s Isenberg Hall, an occasion generally considered by the huge crowd in attendance to be the most colorful weaving of Hawaiian song, music, hula and flowers ever seen on Kaua‘i.
Escorted by an honor guard of U.S. Coast Guardsmen and attended by her four lovely Princesses: Anna Fayé, Ellen Ahana, Betty Takazawa and Conchita Cagalawan, Ellis, the popular daughter of Board of Supervisors Chairman William Ellis and Maria Ellis, was crowned queen by Army Maj. J.J. Fallon.
Chief Edwin Crowell’s Police Glee Club featuring Helen Ukauka as vocalist provided background music during the coronation procession.
Appearing first in the procession were Hawaiian warriors Stanley Kaluahine, Stanley Kaeo, Paul Hirota, Kenneth Apaka and Hiram Diamond, followed by kahili bearers Robert West, Bill Hadley, Jim Kaufman, Henry Rente, Jimmy Price and Bill Moragne.
Next came the princesses, Ellis and her majesty’s honor guard and little Naomi Meyers, the crown bearer.
Following the queen’s proclamation that all were to enjoy “a day of fun and friendliness,” Eric Knudsen, Kaua‘i’s teller of Hawaiian tales, thanked Dora Isenberg “for building this house where all races of the community can gather for just such joyous occasions as this,” and the May Day sponsor, Garden Island Publishing Co.
A graduate of Kaua‘i High School and the University of Hawai‘i Class of 1948, Ellis was awarded a scholarship for a year of advanced study abroad in 1950 by the Kaua‘i Rotary and pursued a course in social studies at Sheffield University, England.
Marian Ellis spent her professional career as a travel consultant in San Francisco and Honolulu.
She passed away in 1997.
