First ladies of Hawaii




The first lady 'of Hawaii' is the title held by the wife of the governor of Hawaii, an unpaid ceremonial position. Territorial spouses carved out their roles in varied ways, from traditional wives who raised the children and supported their husbands, to philanthropists and society hostesses. Perhaps the most personal insight into any of the spouses came from territorial governor Sanford B. Dole. Three years after the death of Anna Prentice Cate Dole, he published a small book, "for those who loved and still love Anna—my dear wife" detailing their courtship and marriage, her love of poetry, and the admiration the first governor of the Territory of Hawaii had for his wife.
Nancy Quinn bridged the change of history as the wife of William F. Quinn, the last governor of the Territory of Hawaii and the first governor of Hawaii after it achieved statehood. She believed her position was to put family first, being her husband's support in a place and time when Hawaii had not yet worked out financial accommodations for care of the governor's family. Beatrice Burns was a nurse and polio survivor; so far, the only governor's spouse of Hawaii who served her term while in a wheelchair. The agendas of the first spouses have evolved as the country's social history has. Jean Ariyoshi helped reforest Hawaii with "A Million Trees of Aloha." Lynne Waihee put children's literacy first on her agenda. Vicky Cayetano was a business owner before she married Governor Ben Cayetano. Through her business acumen, a trust fund was created to erect a new residence for Hawaii's governor.

First ladies of the Territory of Hawaii

First ladies of the State of Hawaii

NameImageLifespanTerm startTerm endGovernorNotes
August 21, 1959December 3, 1962
December 3, 1962December 2, 1974Restored the governor's Washington Place residence
December 2, 1974December 1, 1986"A Million Trees of Aloha" reforestation program.
December 1, 1986December 5, 1994Read To Me Program; children's literacy
December 2, 19941996Governor Cayetano and his first wife, Lorraine Cayetano, had separated in 1991, though they remained married during the first two years of his governorship. The marriage ended in divorce in 1996. They remain the only Governor and First Lady of Hawaii to divorce while in office.
Position vacant1996May 5, 1997Cayetano divorced in 1996. No acting First Lady until his marriage to Vicky Cayetano in 1997.
May 5, 1997December 2, 2002Vicky Tiu Cayetano married Governor Ben Cayetano on May 5, 1997, to become Hawaii's First Lady. Cayetano, a businesswoman, created the Washington Place Foundation to raise funds to build a new residence for the state's governor.
Position vacantDecember 2, 2002December 6, 2010Lingle was divorced prior to the governorship.
December 6, 2010December 1, 2014Feminist author; human rights
December 1, 2014December 5, 2022Led restoration of Washington Place for 175th Anniversary, launched Jump Start Breakfast program at the public schools and the Ohana Readers program to promote childhood literacy.
December 5, 2022present