Don Ho

Don Ho, born Donald Tai Loy Ho (Chinese: 何大來; Cantonese: Ho4 Daai6 Loi4), (August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian and traditional pop musician, singer and entertainer. Ho, of Chinese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Dutch, and German descent, was born in the small Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaʻako, but he grew up in Kāneʻohe on the windward side of the island of Oʻahu. He was a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools in 1949 and he attended Springfiel... more

Don Ho, born Donald Tai Loy Ho (Chinese: 何大來; Cantonese: Ho4 Daai6 Loi4), (August 13, 1930 – April 14, 2007) was a Hawaiian and traditional pop musician, singer and entertainer. Ho, of Chinese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, Dutch, and German descent, was born in the small Honolulu neighborhood of Kakaʻako, but he grew up in Kāneʻohe on the windward side of the island of Oʻahu. He was a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools in 1949 and he attended Springfield College in 1950, but returned home to earn a bachelor's degree in sociology at University of Hawai'i in 1953. In 1954 Ho entered the United States Air Force and spent time flying fighter jets in both Texas and Hawaii. Don married his high school sweetheart, Melvamay Kolokea Wong, on November 21, 1951. She was the mother to the first six of his children. Ho was married to Melvamay for 48 years until her passing on June 8, 1999. While in the military, Ho traveled from state to state with Melvamay and their young family until he was called home... less