Alan Eichi Yabui

May 2, 1940  –  February 24, 2022

Alan Eichi Yabui

It is with great sadness that Alan, my “Pinao  Ula”,  “Tombo” (Dragonfly), beloved husband, father, friend, and teacher, passed away due to a fall complicated by a decade of battling Alzheimer’s and kidney disease.

Alan was born in Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii. In his teens he worked at Baldwin Pineapple Company while attending Lahainaluna High School, graduating in 1958 and honored as “outstanding agricultural student”. In 1959 he entered the Agricultural and Mechanical College at Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. In 1960 he changed his major to Geography and graduated college in 1962. He went on to graduate school at Oregon State University in Corvallis, later attending San Diego State University.

Alan then began a career in the US Air Force, serving as a commissioned officer for over 24 years, in Vietnam 1969-70, as commander of a missile squadron 1982-84, and teaching geography at the Air Force Academy in Colorado, performing duties in Alaska and other various locations, retiring as Lieutenant Colonel in 1989. Alan was a member of Seattle Nisei Vets. He had three masters’ degrees. At Montana State University/Bozeman he received his doctorate in Adult and Higher Education, and where he taught Speech Communication.

Alan had begun his new teaching career and accepted a position at Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington in 1993. He taught Speech and  Intercultural Communication, along with Japanese American and Hawaiian Studies for 22 years, retiring in 2015. Alan’s goal was to help his students succeed and he was a popular faculty member among them. They also enjoyed his stories of growing up in Hawaii.

Alan was President and Vice President of the Bellevue College Association of Higher Education during the years 1997-2012 and was very involved in the unions BCAHE, WEA, NEA, and Rainier Uniserv. Alan was one of the founders of the BC Diversity Caucus and served as its first co-chair in 2002. They won national awards due to the group’s success and commitment to diversity training. Alan was active in JACL and served on their scholarship committee. He was an avid reader and a diehard Seahawks fan. He especially enjoyed our many trips to his homeland in Maui, his favorite saying “E tai kimasu” (leaving now, returning soon). He will return.

Alan is survived by his wife, Carolyn Marie Bruno Yabui; his stepchildren and step grandchildren: Jack (Stacie) and Haley Bentley of Longview and Vancouver, WA; Scottia Bentley (Brent) with Megan of Concrete and Mukilteo, WA; Michele (Brian) Trumbull with Nathan and Logan of Maple Valley, WA; Maria (Johnny) Gertsch with Eve, Dante, and Penelope of Kirkland, WA; and Tony Bentley of San Diego, CA. Alan’s children and grandchildren: Anastasia Yabui of Dublin, CA; Laura (Scott) Bakar with Jessica, Julian, and Nolan of Pleasanton, CA; and Craig (Sarah) Yabui with Megan and Carson of Camas, WA; and predeceased by Noel and Daniel Yabui of Montana.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Bellevue College Cafeteria April 12, 2022 from 3:30-5:30 pm.  Donations of remembrance may be made to the Bellevue College Scholarship Fund or to the Seattle Nisei Vets Committee Scholarship Fund.