LIHU‘E — “This rock is perfect for Guinness to lie on, and these other rocks are just right for sitting,” said Scott Douglass Tuesday afternoon. Those three rocks, located along Nawiliwili Road and adjacent to the Puakea Golf Course, were
LIHU‘E — “This rock is perfect for Guinness to lie on, and these other rocks are just right for sitting,” said Scott Douglass Tuesday afternoon.
Those three rocks, located along Nawiliwili Road and adjacent to the Puakea Golf Course, were a regular stopping point for Scott, Guinness and the late Paul Douglass on their walks from their home to Starbucks at Kukui Grove Center.
Judy Lenthall, former director of the Kaua‘i Independent Food Bank where Paul served as a board member, said the stopping point was where Scott and Paul would spend time talking while Guinness would take advantage of the stop to rest, laying atop of Guinness Rock.
“Scott said this is where he learned a lot about Paul,” Lenthall said.
But earlier this year, Paul was taken from Guinness’ life.
Alone, Scott takes Guinness on the walks and the stopping point is still shared, Scott sitting on one of the rocks in reflection while Guinness perches atop his special rock.
Lenthall was moved by the dedication of Paul’s family and decided she wanted to remember Paul and his dedication and love to the community.
“I asked Grove Farm if I could deface one of their rocks,” Lenthall said. “But I didn’t have the money to have the plaque made.”
That’s when Matson Navigation, where Paul was employed for more than 43 years before retiring in 1999 at Nawiliwili, stepped in. Dewayne Kong, the manager of Matson at Nawiliwili, offered to have the plaque done.
Kong said Lenthall ran into more obstacles, not knowing how to attach the bronze plaque onto the rock, bringing Mark Hubbard into the picture for his expertise.
Finally, the pieces fell into place and Lenthall, with the help of Paul’s wife, Shirley, of more than 55 years, plus Scott, Guinness, Kong, Mike Tresler and Arryl Kaneshiro of Grove Farm, unveiled the special rock, which remembers Paul through his mascot Guinness, who sat patiently while the cloth covering the rock was swished away.
“When I told Scott about the rock, he said Paul served on all kinds of boards and helped a lot of people, but Guinness gets the rock,” Lenthall said.
Paul Douglass was born on Nov. 3, 1934 in San Francisco and passed away on March 27, 2012 in Honolulu.
Holding a Bachelor of Science in navigation and seamanship from the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, Calif., Paul started work with Matson Navigation in San Francisco before moving to ports in Seattle, Portland, Ore., Maui, Hilo, Guam, O‘ahu and finally Kaua‘i in 1980.
During this time, Paul was the recipient of the A&B Hawai‘i Community Service Award in 1986 for “meritorious volunteer service in his community.”
Following his retirement in 1999, Paul continued to represent Matson by volunteering his time as Santa Claus in the company’s annual gift giving to Easter Seals as well as being the familiar icon of the holidays atop the Wilcox Health System float during the annual Lights on Rice holiday parade.
His Santa tenure also took him to the Kaua‘i Police Department’s Christmas Family Dinner at the Kaua‘i War Memorial Convention Hall.
“The leadership and support Paul Douglass gave to our many organizations on Kaua‘i will leave a legacy of dedication and aloha in our history books for years to come,” Sue Kanoho of the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau said in an email following Paul’s passing. “One of the first business leaders I met when I came to Kaua‘i 25 years ago was Paul Douglass. He was my board chair in my early years with the Kaua‘i Economic Development Board and I always enjoyed our talks during those years.”
Paul also received a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Voluntary Service from Lynn Waihee in 1994 during the 18th Annual First Lady’s Outstanding Volunteer Award.
Among the many community organizations which were touched by Paul’s dedication and aloha, the Kaua‘i Humane Society was where Guinness, now 12 years old, was adopted during Paul’s many visits to the facility.
He met Lenthall serving on the KIFB Board and lent his spirit of Christmas while serving on the Wilcox Health Board of Directors since 1989.
His familiar face was seen along with Rotarian Bill Harper’s “new” shirt each Thanksgiving where he helped with the turkey distribution at The Salvation Army with the Rotary Club of Kaua‘i (he was a Rotarian since 1967), rising to become the Rotary of Kaua‘i Foundation chair and past president.
He also served with the Kaua‘i County Board of Review, the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce, Kaua‘i United Way, the Kaua‘i Museum, the American Cancer Society, the KEDB, the Kaua‘i Chapter of the Hawai‘i Visitor’s Bureau, the Mayor’s Task Force on Substance Abuse, Rehabilitation Unlimited Kaua‘i, the Navy League, the Children’s Advocacy Center, the Hilo Chamber of Commerce, the Hilo Rotary Club and the Boys Scouts of America where he served as assistant scoutmaster of Troop 9 in Hilo.
In addition to his wife Shirley and Guinness, Paul leaves behind five children, Scott of Lihu‘e, Sharon D. Mayo of Mill Valley, Calif., David C. Douglass of Folsom, Calif., Stephen P. Douglass of Kaneohe, O‘ahu, and Susan L. Douglass of Hilo.
He also leaves behind six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
That legacy of giving and caring forms the foundation of Guinness Rock, a place where Guinness enjoys the wind blowing off the Hanama‘ulu plain.
