Joan McKelvey was a driving force behind the Napili Fire and Ambulance Station with the creation of the “Nemerif Dancers.”

LAHAINA — Well-known Lahaina businesswoman and community leader Joan D’Arcy Howes McKelvey passed away on Aug. 4, 2021.

Her family noted, “After years of love, friendship, determination and spirit for her family and the Lahaina community she loved so much, she left us. She was in her 95th year.”

Born in Sydney, Australia, she witnessed incredible changes to her world, and she set out to be a part of it. She lived in London, Paris and Monaco, to name a few, until she joined a leading ad agency of Leo Burnett.

Successful at bringing American products to postwar Japan, Joan shattered the glass ceiling. Because of her success, she was promoted to be only one of two executives of a major corporation in the U.S.

After relocating to a new Honolulu office, she began a successful string of beauty salons in Waikiki. The first was at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where she had a following of many famous people as her clientele, including Jackie Kennedy. It was also then that she met her loving husband, A.W. “Mac” McKelvey.

After marrying Mac, they moved to Maui to raise their two sons. During that time, Joannie started a successful antique curios shop, South Seas Trading Post, and rebuilt Sacred Hearts School after a fire burned it down.

She also co-founded numerous community groups during her life, including Lahaina Arts Society, Lahaina Yacht Club and LahainaTown Action Committee.

“Most of all, she loved her family and instilled in them and others the strong values that have served them well. She will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts,” her family stated.

She was the beloved mother of Angus (Val) and Ian. She was the oldest sister to nine other siblings, including Therese, Margaret, Judith, Maureen, Colin, Bernadette and Roger.

Joan is predeceased by her devoted husband, Mac.

At noon on Saturday, Sept. 4, a procession to Lahaina Harbor with the scattering of her ashes in the waters off Lahaina will follow Joan’s Celebration of Life. People are invited to join the scattering and bid Aloha to Joan with flowers off the Front Street Seawall.