Brown & Bakken World Health Awardee, Robert C. Oshiro

…he played a critical role in creating a more just society.
A society which distributes power and wealth widely and
rewards talent without discrimination against sex, race,
religious belief or age…

Robert C. Oshiro has been called the most important
political strategist in the history of Hawaii, the "Wizard of
Wahiawa," the campaign miracle worker and resident
genius. While all of these descriptions may be true, Bob
Oshiro would call himself "a sparrow" in the introduction
to Tom Coffman's classic book, To Catch a Wave.

It is as the sparrow that he was driven to improve life for Hawaii's people.

Bob Oshiro was born on November 19, 1924 in Wahiawa, Oahu. Oshiro attended
Wahiawa Elementary School and Leilehua High School. It was his mother, although
illiterate herself, who understood the value of education and told him, "they can
steal what you have, but they can't steal what's in your head." When war caused
the closure of Leilehua High School, it was his mother who made the sacrifices
necessary to send Oshiro to Mid-Pacific Institute as a boarding student so that he
might obtain his high school diploma.

In 1944, Oshiro was drafted into the United States Army but the war ended while
Oshiro was on a transport ship heading to combat and he spent most of his time in
war-torn, occupied Okinawa. In 1946 he was honorably discharged Private First
Class and returned to Hawaii.

Using the GI bill, he earned a B.A. in Economics/Psychology in 1949 at the
University of Hawaii. Oshiro then attended Duke University, where he earned a
master's degree in law.

Bob Oshiro, with his young bride, Ruth, returned to Hawaii as a new attorney in
1953. He finally found a job with a small local firm and opened a satellite office in
Wahiawa. He practiced law from his Wahiawa office throughout his legal and
political career.

In 1959, Bob Oshiro was elected as a State Representative and served the Wahiawa
district for 11 years, to 1970. In the election of 1962, the Democrats won the top
elected offices of the state. Oshiro's contributions and talents were recognized,
and he was recruited to become chairman of the Democratic Party from 1962-1968.

Besides a career in law and politics, Bob Oshiro continued a life in service by
accepting appointments to directorships on the boards of Aloha Airlines, GTE
Hawaiian Telephone, Hawaiian Western Steel, and the East-West Center. As
Chairman of The Queen Emma Foundation and The Queen's Health Systems, Oshiro
played a key role in the development of health care in our state.

Bob and Ruth Oshiro raised three children, daughters Roberta and Susan, and son
Marcus. All three attended Wahiawa Elementary School and Leilehua High School.
They have four grandchildren.

"My dad always used to tell us that politics was a noble endeavor," said his son,
Marcus Oshiro. "He said we can help people and our community and make life
better for people. Every person is important, and we all have the same basic
needs and desires, whether you're a ditch digger or a CEO. We all have a place in
society."