Donald K.L. Wong devoted over half his life to fighting crime in Hawai'i and improving the investigative work of the state's Department of the Attorney General.

Wong, a Hilo native who retired in 2006 as the state AG's chief special agent, died Saturday at The Queen's Medical Center at age 61.

Wong's leadership skills attracted retired law-enforcement officers to work for the state, a move which put experienced investigators in the field and improved the quality of work performed for the Department of the Attorney General.

"Donald was able through his great leadership skill ... to hire extraordinarily skilled law-enforcement officers, many of whom had decades of experience with organizations like the Honolulu Police Department," state Attorney General Mark Bennett said.

With the added experience, Bennett noted the state is able to do cases now it could not do before, such as cold-case investigations, which was one of Wong's visions for the Investigation Division.

Over 30 retired law-enforcement officers, many of them from the Honolulu Police Department, were hired by Wong as contract investigators.

"They were only a handful of people here before but with the increase, (the division) is doing a lot more cases, everything from background checks to investigations to arrests," said Joe Self, former HPD missing persons investigator who was hired by Wong.

Wong stood out as a supervisor, which is why many retired officers were willing to work for him, said Self.

"Donald would never ask you to do something he wouldn't do himself and he was willing to go out with you," Self said. "He was a nice guy but very demanding. What I liked about him was he listened, gave you an opportunity to put in your 20 cents."

Wong spent 25 years with the state Investigation Division, working his way up the ranks. His law-enforcement experience also included a stint with HPD from 1971-1977. In 1973, Wong was awarded a silver medal of valor for heroism.

"Donald Wong was a skilled and dedicated law enforcement officer, and a wonderful and caring husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, and friend," Bennett said. "He was someone we could always count on, no matter how difficult or complex the task

"Throughout his long illness, which he battled courageously, Donald never lost his signature sense of humor," Bennett added. "(He) was one of a kind, and I, and all his friends and colleagues, will sorely miss him, but we will never forget him. We are all better off for having known him."

Wong, who moved back to the Big Island following his retirement, was honored as the Department of Attorney General's manager of the year in 2005.

Wong is a 1981 graduate of the University of Hawai'i and former owner and operator of Kim's Trucking Service.

His survivors include wife, "BJ" (Barbara Jean); daughters Shannon M. Wong-Davis of Las Vegas and Nicole N. Wong-Lunn; parents Mona and Kenneth Wong; sister Sharyn Eng; grandsons Donovan Matthew Kuliaikapono Davis and Dallas Kala'iakea Kwock Leong Lunn; niece Jennifer K. Eng; god daughter Alessandra Samba Figueiredo, and extended family Jennifer Gayle Poncin Elizabeth Ann Marshall, Earle J. Dye III of Las Vegas, Kaipo R.M. Dye and Jennifer P. Smith.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Borthwick Hawaii Funeral Home in Hilo. Visitiation begins at 10 a.m. Internment will follow at Homelani Cemetery. A memorial celebration of life will be held on O'ahu next Wednesday from 5-8 p.m. at the Honolulu Elk's Club.