Roger Madden Melrose, the Episcopal minister who founded Seabury Hall, is being remembered as a "builder" and an "innovative educator."

Melrose, 84, of Kealakekua, Hawai'i, died June 26 at his residence.

"Reverend Melrose was certainly the right person at the right time for the founding of Seabury Hall. He had a passion for young people and was an innovative educator. The many graduates of Seabury Hall are in debt to him for his vision and his passion for the school," Seabury Headmaster Joe Schmidt told The Maui News.

Melrose's wife, Charlotte, called her husband a "builder" who moved his family from Central Maui to Olinda to start Seabury Hall in 1964. The school began with 51 students and a building that had been converted from a five-car garage, on an estate that had been donated to the Episcopal Church.

Melrose said her husband "had been very pleased" with Seabury Hall's progress.

"I think he always loved what he did. He loved working for the church, and he loved young people," she said.

"We will miss him a lot," said the Rev. Heather Mueller of St. John's Episcopal Church. "He's like an end of a era."

Mueller said Melrose was "very funny."

"He had this sort of dry wit, and he loved the kids. He joked with the kids, and they really cared about him," she said.

But Melrose was also stern when he needed to be, she said.

In 1964, Melrose became the founding headmaster of the private college-preparatory school in Makawao. At the time, the school had a girls dormitory, while boys attended as day students. Today, the school no longer takes boarders.

Mrs. Melrose said her husband also established Holy Cross Mission and built the Parish Hall at St. John's By the Sea, both on O'ahu.

The Rev. Melrose had been the parish minister at Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Wailuku for two years before his move Upcountry.

Mrs. Melrose said her husband wasn't daunted that he didn't have any experience running a school. She noted that he also didn't have experience with the ocean before joining the Navy. She said he wrote in his autobiography: "Having learned that new ventures do not require a thorough knowledge of the expertise needed . . . I decided to 'go for the gold' and move to Makawao and open the school."

She felt he meant that, "You just have to have the courage."

Roger Melrose was born Nov. 23, 1923, in Seattle.

He was a World War II Navy veteran and received a honorary doctorate of divinity from his seminary, the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, for establishing Seabury Hall.

Roger Melrose remained at Seabury Hall until he retired in 1987. Mr. and Mrs. Melrose then moved to Oregon in 1989, and then two years ago moved to Kealakekua to be with family.

Mueller said Roger Melrose was very active in the church and held services at St. John's Episcopal Church.

He also was a member and a past president of the Maui Rotary Club, where members said he always brought a joke and sometimes a visual aide when he opened up the Rotary Club meetings.

A "Celebration of Life" event will be at 11 a.m. July 17 at the Christ Church Episcopal in Kealakekua. The family requests no flowers. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of Kona or the Christ Church. Cremation Services of West Hawaii is assisting with the arrangements.

Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com. Additional Maui News stories are posted online at www.mauinews.com.