Bob Moncrief passed away on Aug. 25 at the age of 71. Many supporters of Beach Access Hawaii will remember him as the lone resident of L'Orange Place, who stood up at a Kailua Neighborhood Board meeting on Sept. 6, 2007 to say he and his wife were opposed to the locked gate that was put up on their "private" beach side road. He felt it was wrong to deny access to neighbors and was against the Hawaiian concept of "aloha."
It was remarkable because nearly everyone at that meeting had come to denounce the actions of those people on L'Orange Place. Many had been using that beach path for 20 years or more, and they were angry that their children now had to walk along a dangerous section of Kalaheo Avenue to reach the only public access for over a half mile area of beach. Bob looked frail, but there was a quiet strength and dignity in his words that moved me and others to take up the fight to protect the public's rights of way. Bob and Trudy Moncrief were the true inspiration behind Beach Access Hawaii, a movement that has spread throughout the islands and spurred state legislation that will benefit future generations.
I called Trudy today after getting the sad news last night, and asked if it would be all right for me to send a group email to BAH members about Bob's death. She said Bob would have been pleased because even though he had been having health problems, he still had not given up his fight to stop more gates from going up in Hawaii. He was looking forward to continuing the battle because he believed our beaches and ocean belong to us all.
After she told me that, I promised her I would find a way to carry on Bob's cause somehow. I hope you'll renew your efforts as well.
Here's a link to the Honolulu Star-Bulletin column I wrote three years ago that was inspired by Bob and Trudy Moncrief. Towards the end, Bob shares a touching story about how as a toddler, he got separated from his family on Kailua Beach. The woman who found him was none other than Mrs. L'Orange. Bob said she would never have approved of putting a gate on the road that bears her family name.
Below is a photo of Bob and Trudy on the Beach Access float at the Kailua 4th of July Parade two years ago. He also posed for satirical L'Orange Gate photos we took for other holidays such as St. Patty's Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, which I'll continue to post in his memory.
.jpg)
ADDENDUM: Speaking of L'Orange Place, I was told that this past Fourth of July, they hired a security guard to make sure no one came down their road to see the fireworks. What's especially galling about that is the son of two homeowners on L'Orange, who are in the real estate biz, actually had the nerve to go on TV to say he was helping raise funds to keep the annual fireworks display going! Nice that his parents wouldn't open the gate for even one night in the spirit of Independence Day.
