Ronald T.Y. Moon, who died on July 4 at age 81, rose from a plantation-era youth in Wahiawa to become chief justice of Hawaii’s Supreme Court — the first Korean-American judge in the nation to hold that state office. He left a legacy of leadership, inaugurating court programs such as drug court and girls court that broke down barriers to justice for the underserved.

Moon served as Hawaii’s chief justice during an era of rapid change, presiding over landmark cases that created a pathway to same-sex marriage, protected the environment and addressed Native Hawaiian rights. He will be remembered as a supremely ethical jurist and guiding force.