David Walter Hunkins

David Walter Hunkins, 88, passed away of cancer at his home in Hana, Maui in the presence of his four daughters and wife of sixty-five years on April 28, 2022. A spreading of ashes will be held one year from his passing. He is survived by his wife Charlene Zick; daughters, Susan Hunkins, Lynn Solu, Marj Hunkins, and Jayne Hunkins Craine; eight grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Dave was born December 16, 1933 in Faribault, Minnesota to Walter Alfred Hunkins and Marjorie Mae Sanders. His mother passed away when he was seven years old so he attended a military boarding school as a young boy. While a young man serving in the United States Army, he had the honor of guarding The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington, Virginia. That service provided him the privilege of choosing any base to complete his military service. He chose Schofield Barracks on Oahu. While there, he met and married Charlene Marie Zick (Sugar). Their first two children (twins) were born at “Queen’s Hospital” in Honolulu where Sugar worked as a labor and delivery room nurse. Dave’s avid interest in business was sparked after he was discharged from the military and worked on the streets of Waikiki running his own small business parking cars. He also worked as an Assistant Manager at the Hawaiian Village Shell Bar while he attended the University of Hawaii. During this time, he acquired the skills of customer service and hospitality which he carried into his future businesses. He later left the islands and went on to complete his Business degree at Miami of Ohio University. As a young man, he was promoted to the President and CEO of a large trucking company in Ohio and eventually, with the help of Sugar, started his own successful trucking company that spanned the entire Midwest. Once Dave’s four girls were grown and back in Hawaii, Dave and Sugar began planning their return to the islands. In 1990, he started Kihei Rent a Car on Maui with the help of his daughters and wife. After being a hard working business owner and winning two Maui Small Business Administration awards, he handed the company over to his grandsons to further the business. Dave was a loving father and husband and will be remembered for his optimistic personality, his compassion and kindness to his wife and girls and for his keen interest in and tenderness toward his four pre-deceased goats. In lieu of flowers, please send monetary donations to the Hana Lani Senior Center where David (Dave) enjoyed eating haupia ice cream, attending water aerobics, practicing senior yoga, having reiki treatments, enjoying lomi lomi massages, and playing cards. He helped start the Hana Bridge Club and loved teaching others. He was especially excited to recently teach his grandchildren how to play bridge to carry on his legacy.