JEANNE ROSE WICHMAN AND
CHARLES RICE (GOODALE) WICHMAN

Jeanne Rose Wichman – October 11, 1928 – October 11, 2022

Jeanne Rose Wichman was born in Wichita, Kansas on October 11, 1928, and passed away peacefully with her family beside her on October 11, 2022, her 94th birthday. Jeanne and her brother Glenn enjoyed a wonderful childhood, riding bikes and exploring the small town of Wichita. Jeanne’s father was an inventor and entrepreneur, and her mother helped with the family business and was a dedicated mother and homemaker. Jeanne remembered clearly the horse-drawn wagon that would deliver ice to their home and gasoline costing 11 cents/gallon. Jeanne attended Miss Hockaday’s Preparatory School for Young Ladies in Dallas and went on to the University of Kansas. After graduating, she worked for the Bartlesville Examiner newspaper and taught 2nd grade. In 1953, inspired by a book she had read, Jeanne and her best friend Carol drove a Chrysler convertible to the west coast and booked passage on the SS Lurline to Hawaii. Jeanne started working at the Halekulani Hotel, and it wasn’t long before a mutual acquaintance introduced her to Charlie Wichman. It was love at first sight, and after taking her to meet his family on Kauai, Charlie proposed. The happy couple were married on May 14, 1955, at Saint Andrew’s Cathedral in Honolulu and then flew to Kauai for their honeymoon at Kokee and Kipu Kai. Jeanne was an active member of the Honolulu Garden Club for nearly 50 years, a patron of the Honolulu Academy of Arts, the Honolulu Symphony, the Hawaii Opera Theatre, a fellow of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, as well as many other community organizations. Having grown up during the great depression, Jeanne taught her family to value frugality, home cooking, and public service. Jeanne leaves behind a legacy of generosity, love, acceptance, humor and a family cookbook of her wonderful recipes. She is dearly missed by all who knew her.

Charles Rice (Goodale) Wichman – August 11, 1925 – April 24, 2024

Charles Rice (Goodale) Wichman was born in Lihue on August 11, 1925 and died peacefully with his family beside him on April 24, 2024. Charlie was the second child born to Juliet Rice and Holbrook Goodale. In 1927, Juliet married Fred Wichman, who adopted Charlie and his older brother Hobey. Juliet and Fred had a son, Frederick Bruce, and together the three boys grew up surfing, swimming, hiking and spending long hours at their grandfather Charlie Rice’s ranch at Kipu and in the ocean in front of his home at Kalapaki. After attending Lihue Grammar School, Charlie was a boarding student at Iolani School on Oahu from 1936-41 and then attended Menlo High School in California from 1941-43. Upon graduating, he enlisted in the army, trained as a radio operator, and was deployed to the Pacific. After the war, Charlie attended Stanford University, and then, on the advice of his uncle, Stanford Law School, graduating in 1952. Charlie began his career as a young attorney working in Hilo and then moved to Honolulu to work in the US Attorney’s office from 1954-57. From the moment he met Jeanne on a blind date in 1954, the two became inseparable, marrying in 1955. In 1957, Charlie opened the Honolulu office of the law firm that would become Carlsmith, Carlsmith, Wichman and Case, which he helped grow into the largest law firm in the Pacific region. Charlie was an avid gardener, tennis player, and skier. He loved music, especially opera, classical symphonies, and Hawaiian slack key. He was a lifelong philanthropist and supported many island non-profits, including the National Tropical Botanical Garden, the Honolulu Academy of Art, the Hawaii Opera Theater, the Honolulu Symphony, Iolani School, Punahou School and the Hawaii Community Foundation. Charlie will be remembered for his generosity, integrity, humor and especially his deep love for Jeanne, his family, and his beloved Labrador Retrievers.

Jeanne and Charlie’s Married Life

After Jeanne and Charlie were married on May 14, 1955, they bought a small house in Manoa valley, where they had their first child, Wendy Jeanne. In 1957 they welcomed their second child, Charles ‘Chipper’ Rice Jr. and moved their growing family to Aukai Street in Kahala, where they lived for 10 years. In 1959 they had their third son Michael Whitney and in 1963 Jonathan Goodale. Jeanne was known as “Supermom” volunteering to be Room Mother for her four children at their various schools – all at the same time. In 1967, the family made their final move to a home at the top of Tantalus, overlooking Diamond Head and west Oahu. Charlie and Jeanne loved their home high up in the rainforest as it reminded them of Kokee. Jeanne, Charlie, and their children spent their summers and many holidays on Kauai, dividing their time between his mother Juliet’s home at Haena and his grandfather’s cabin in Kokee. They spent many happy hours hiking, swimming, picking fruit for jam and jelly, and cooking large meals for their family, friends, and cousins. When Charlie retired in the early 2000s, he and Jeanne began to alternate between Oahu and Kauai, spending 3 months at a time on each island.

Jeanne and Charlie were beloved grandparents, affectionately named Grandma Jelly and Boppu by their grandchildren. Jeanne and Charlie are survived by their four children Wendy Wichman (Egesdal), Chipper (Hau’oli) Wichman, Mike Wichman, Jonathan (Bernadette) Wichman, eight grandchildren and their spouses, and ten great-grandchildren.

A memorial service for both of them will be held at the Lihue Cemetery on Friday, June 28, at 10:30 am. Donations in their memory can be made to Limahuli Garden of the National Tropical Botanical Garden or the Kauai Museum.