Rep. Carroll passes away

State House Representative Diana “Mele” Carroll passed at 3:50 a.m. on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 with her family at her side. At this time services are pending and will be announced at a later date.

“It is a very sad day for the House,” said state House Speaker Joseph Souki. “Mele brought to the Legislature a vigorous desire to serve and deep love for Maui, Molokai and Lanai and Hawaii in general. She will be greatly missed by everyone here at the Capitol. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family.”

Representative Carroll was re-elected on November 4, 2014 to begin her sixth term, representing the 13th House district, which includes East Maui, Molokai, Lanai, Kahoolawe and Molokini, but stepped down on Feb. 1 after complications from her previous cancer treatment arose.

In 2005, Carroll received a phone call from then-Governor Linda Lingle asking her to represent the 13th District in the state House of Representatives. At the time she was working as the chief legislative liaison for Maui Mayor Alan Arakawa, responsible for representing the County of Maui at the Legislature by providing oral and written testimony, researching and drafting bills, as well as providing community updates through public forums and meetings.

As Arakawa’s chief legislative liaison, Carroll wrote a federal grant proposal to the U.S. Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for $2 million that contributed to the purchase of Muolea Point (73 acres) in Hana. She then worked with the community to develop a management plan to preserve Muolea Point, which was formerly King David Kalakaua’s summer home for the Alii.

Carroll also served as chief of staff to state Senator J. Kalani English for two years, in addition to serving four years as his chief of staff at the Maui County Council. She also served on the state’s Cable Television Advisory Committee and the Na Ala Hele Trails Council.

At the House, Rep. Carroll was instrumental in helping to secure funding for the new emergency medical helicopter service for Maui County, working with a bi-partisan coalition of community leaders. Rep. Carroll served as the chair of the House Committee on Human Service (HUS) and as a member for the Committees on Health (HLT) and Housing (HSG). In her tenure as a state House Representative she has also been the chair of the Legislative Hawaiian Caucus, and a member of the Women’s Legislative Caucus, the Keiki Caucus, the Kupuna Caucus and the Historical Preservation Caucus.

Rep. Carroll’s community service includes serving on the following boards of non-profit organizations: past president of the Waikikena Foundation; past president of the Maui AIDS Foundation; past vice president for the Friends of Maui County Health Organization; past board director of the `Aha Ali`i Kapuaiwa O Kamehameha V Royal Order of Kamehameha II; past board director for the Maui Adult Day Care Center; member of the Aloha Festivals Maui Steering Committee; past board director of the Na Po’e Kokua; and Paia Youth & Cultural Center.  She also served as the head coach of the Lahainaluna High School’s Girls Varsity Basketball team.

The former representative stated many times that serving the people of Hawaii and the 13th District was a “tremendous honor” that she would never forget, and spoke of her position and the people she serve with great admiration. The love that she showed everyone epitomized the Aloha Spirit.