Arlon Mun Fong Tom

Arlon passed away peacefully surrounded by family on August 3, 2026 at Hale Ola Kino, Honolulu. He was 99 years old. He was born in Wailuku, Maui and attended Baldwin High School.

In his own words, he wrote:

I left school in April 1945, thinking that I could get a government job and, thereby, I would not be called up for military service. Yes, I was able to find a government job; however, I was unsuccessful in avoiding the draft. In July 1945, I was sent to Camp Hood, Texas for basic training and later spent two winters at Elmendorf Air Base in Anchorage, Alaska.

Upon discharge from the Army in 1947, I returned to Maui. In July 1947, I joined Mutual Telephone/Hawaiian Telephone/GTE Hawaiian Telephone Company. I served in various positions on Maui between 1947 and 1953. In 1953, the company created a new one-man maintenance position on the island of Lanai. I filled that position for three years between 1953 and 1956.

In 1956, I transferred to the Honolulu Office and served in various management positions until I retired in 1987. My last assignments from 1967 to 1987 were in International Telecommunications Services. These assignments allowed me to regularly visit many Pacific Rim Countries and Islands, Europe and North America to represent the company on contract negotiations,international telecommunication meetings and planning conferences. My last position with GTE Hawaiian Telephone was Director of International Communications and Telephone Services.

In 1988, the largest International Telecommunications Company in Japan, The Kokusai Denshin Denwa Company requested I join their organization as a consultant. I served in this capacity until 1992.

My forty years with GTE and my five years as consultant were exciting and interesting in a continuing period of new and an ever-evolving telecommunication technology.

Retirement is great! My wife, Goldie and I enjoy traveling, cruising and visiting grandchildren in Los Angeles and yeah-we keep going back to sin city to hit the big one!

Arlon is survived by his wife Goldie Soon, daughters Gay Mori (Bryant) and Maylene Kreutzer (Jay), 3 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Private graveside service will be held.