Robin Foster

From the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, July 28, 2008:

ROBIN FOSTER / 1950-2008

Community leader’s grass-roots efforts helped the needy
By Mary Adamski
madamski@starbulletin.com

Robin Foster began a 30-year career as a community planner at the grass-roots level, joining an effort to provide services for low-income residents of Waikiki that led to creation of the Waikiki Community Center in the early 1970s.

His continued concern for the common good was applauded when he was honored in November for his accomplishments. The University of Hawaii Department of Urban and Regional Planning cited his continuing efforts “to assure that the person with small resources and little power is able to participate” and his “stubborn insistence on doing what is right, especially for those whose voices are seldom heard.” . . .

Foster, 58, died Wednesday at his Kailua home.

He was vice president of PlanPacific. He joined the private planning firm 13 years ago after more than 15 years with the city government, including years as chief of the Department of Land Utilization Environmental Affairs Branch and a four-year term as director of the city Planning Department. …

Foster was born in Baltimore and graduated from Punahou School and Yale University. He earned UH master’s degrees in public health and planning.

He is survived by his wife Deborah Pope, sons John and William, father James W., brother Nelson, sister Dorothy and three aunts.

A memorial service will be held in August. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions be made to Kokua Kalihi Valley, Mental Health Kokua or the Boston University Amyloidosis Treatment and Research Program.

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http://archives.starbulletin.com/2008/07/28/news/story09.html