Virginia Isbell
{{Short description|Hawaiian politician (1932–2019)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
Virginia Isbell (May 8, 1932 - September 19, 2019) was a former educator and politician on Hawai{{okina}}i Island.{{cite web |title='God had a plan for her life'; Island treasure Virginia Isbell remembered |date=26 September 2019 |url=https://www.hawaiitribune-herald.com/2019/09/26/hawaii-news/god-had-a-plan-for-her-life-island-treasure-virginia-isbell-remembered/ |publisher=Hawaii Tribune-Herald |access-date=14 January 2021}}
Isbell was born in Montana. Her father was an immigrant from Italy while her mother was born in the United States.[https://keolamagazine.com/people/shes-a-survivor-virginia-isbell-of-west-hawaii/ article on Isbell] She married Donald Isbell in 1953. They moved to Hawaii in 1960.
Career
After a career as a teacher, Isbell became a community volunteer and served from 1980 to 1996 in the Hawaii House of Representatives for district 4,{{cite web |title= The Eleventh Legislature: 1981 -1982 |publisher= state of Hawaii legislature |url= http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Web/info/leghistory/81-82.htm |access-date= November 21, 2010 }} later redistricted to number 5.
In the 1991–1994 sessions she was chair of the housing committee.{{cite web |title= The Eleventh Legislature: 1991 -1992 |publisher= state of Hawaii legislature |url= http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/Web/info/leghistory/91-92.htm |access-date= November 21, 2010 }}
Originally in the Republican Party of Hawaii, Isbell switched to the Democratic Party of Hawaii in 1988.
In 1996 she ran for Mayor of Hawaii County but lost.
She ran again for the state house but lost in 1998 and 2000 to Paul Whalen. In 2002 she ran against Whalen for the Hawaii Senate 3rd district, but lost.{{cite news |author = Hugh Clark |title= Election 2002: Old, new matchups vie for seats |date= October 11, 2002 |newspaper= Honolulu Advertiser |url= http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Oct/11/ln/ln15a.html |access-date= November 21, 2010 }}
In 2004 she was elected as Hawaii County Council member representing District 7, from Keauhou to Honaunau in the Kona District.{{cite news |title= Ford slams Isbell's council record |author=Bobby Command |date=October 29, 2006 |newspaper= West Hawaii Today |url= http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2006/10/29/local/local04.txt |access-date= November 21, 2010 }} She was defeated in the primaries by Brenda Ford in 2006. A mere nine votes was the determining factor.{{cite news |agency = Associated Press |title= Big Island: Some councilmembers go through tight races |date= September 25, 2006 |newspaper= Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url= http://archives.starbulletin.com/2006/09/25/news/story12.html |access-date= November 24, 2010 }} However, due to the closeness of the election, both candidates participated in the November 2006 general election, which was won by Ford.
Isbell was secretary of the board of directors for the Kona Soil and Water Conservation District{{cite web |title= Meet Our Board |publisher= Kona Soil and Water Conservation District |url= http://kswcd.org/board.html |access-date= November 21, 2010 }} since at least 2008.{{cite web |title= Minutes of Board of Directors |date= May 13, 2008 |publisher= Kona Soil and Water Conservation District |url= http://kswcd.org/PDF/5.13.08-KSWCD-Minutes.pdf |access-date= November 21, 2010 }}
Even in her 70s, she swam regularly in the ocean at Kailua-Kona, including distance competitions{{cite news |title= 16th Annual Kings Swim |date= July 11, 2010 |newspaper= West Hawaii Today |url= http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2010/07/11/sports/local_sports/sports01.txt |access-date= November 21, 2010 }} and the swim leg of the Lavaman Triathlon.{{cite news |title= Lavaman Keauhou Triathlon |date= August 30, 2010 |newspaper= West Hawaii Today |url= http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2010/08/30/sports/local_sports/sports02.txt |access-date= November 21, 2010 }}
In 2008 Isbell ran against Josh Green for Whalen's state senate and lost in the September primary.{{cite news |title= Primary Election Results |date= September 21, 2008 |newspaper= West Hawaii Today |url= http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2008/09/21/local/local07.txt |access-date= November 21, 2010 }} Green, a physician and state representative, had accumulated over $120,000 for funding his campaign, while Isbell noted that she would have been a full-time legislator.{{cite news |title= Lawmaking doctor has campaign cash to burn |author= John Burnett |date= August 11, 2008 |newspaper= West Hawaii Today |url= http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/articles/2008/08/11/local/local04.txt |access-date= November 21, 2010 }}
Her daughter Iwalani Isbell (born 1963) is a swimwear designer.{{cite news |author = Paula Rath |title= Determined to balance fitness with business |date= February 4, 2004 |newspaper= Honolulu Advertiser |url= http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Feb/04/il/il04a.html |access-date= November 21, 2010 }}
Isbell was a Latter-day Saint.[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1199&context=mphs article listing Latter-day Saints politicians in Hawaii]
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.hawaii-county.com/council/districts.htm Hawaii County Council]
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{{s-ppo}}
{{s-bef|before=Benjamin F. Dillingham II}}
{{s-ttl|title=Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii|years=1978}}
{{s-aft|after=Pat Saiki}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Isbell, Virginia}}
Category:Hawaii County Council members
Category:Women state legislators in Hawaii
Category:Members of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Category:Latter Day Saints from Hawaii
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:21st-century American women
Category:20th-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature
Category:20th-century American women politicians
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