Mabel Lin Dai Tom's Obituary
Mabel Awai Tom, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully in her home in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Monday, July 13, 2026. She was 101 years old. Born on New Year’s Eve in North Kohala, Hawaii, Mabel was the seventh of Thomas and Elsie Awai’s eleven children. During World War II, the family moved from the Big Island to Honolulu for Elsie’s medical care. During the War, they operated the Black Cat Café, a well-known restaurant for great food and reasonable prices.
After graduating from St. Andrew’s Priory, Mabel attended the University of Hawaii at Manoa. She loved to travel with her sister, May (Frankie), and her friends from college. For a few years, Mabel lived with her sister, Eleanor, in New York. In 1953, she met her future husband, Bob, while he attended graduate school at New York University. They were married a year later in Honolulu.
Bob became a CPA and worked for Haskins & Sells (now known as Deloitte) for two years before joining Hawaiian Telephone. Mabel worked as a dental hygienist for the State of Hawaii and later as an elementary school teacher, devoting her career to service, care, and education. Together they raised their two sons, Curtis and Duane. They were married for 69 years, and after retirement they traveled the world together, including numerous trips and cruises to Asia, Europe, the Mediterranean, and Alaska.
For more than 65 years, Bob and Mabel lived in the same house in Honolulu, creating a home filled with love, laughter, and lasting memories. Mom was an excellent cook and baker who loved cooking and baking for Bob, Curtis, and Duane, and later her grandchildren. She took great joy in preparing every meal for us whether it was breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Mabel enjoyed baking with her granddaughter, Emily, and shared recipes that had been passed down to her by her mother. Mom will be remembered for her kindness, gentleness, and wise counsel.
Curtis will remember her for always being there to gently guide him in life, while always being a supportive parent. She always welcomed his friends into her own home, as if they were own sons. Her younger son, Duane, will forever be thankful for her always being tolerant, understanding, and supportive, but most of all, a best friend. Her two grandchildren will forever cherish the love, lessons, and fond memories of their grandmother. Mabel was predeceased by her husband, Bob. She is survived by her two sons, Curtis (Joy) and Duane; her two grandchildren, Elliot and Emily; and her youngest sister, Liane (John) Corbelli. Her family will forever cherish her as a loving mother, grandmother, and sister.
As we bid farewell, we remember Mabel Tom for her devotion to family, her generous spirit, and the warmth she brought to all who knew her. May she rest in eternal peace.
Those who wish to honor Mabel with a remembrance are asked to do so with a donation in her memory to Navian Hawaii.
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