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Memorial Keepers(1)
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Jeanne Tai
Benedict's Sibling
Benedict "Ben" Tai
April 18th, 1956 - August 30th, 2026
April 18th, 1956 - August 30th, 2026
Benedict (Ben) Tai
April 18, 1956 – August 30, 2026
Ben passed away on August 30, 2026, in Kona, HI, at the age of 70.
Born in Hong Kong on April 18, 1956, he emigrated to the United States with his family in 1969. He attended high school in Atlanta, GA, and was active in the nascent environmental movement. He helped organize the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, and was recognized by Governor Jimmy Carter as a promising young environmental leader.
Ben came down with polio when he was two years old. That left him with a weak and shortened right leg. This handicap did not deter him from participating in sports and adventures. He loved canoeing, camping and playing chess (western, Chinese and Go). Later in life, he needed crutches and a painful knee brace to maintain his mobility. He was determined to postpone dependence on a wheelchair.
He attended Brandeis University and continued his activism on environmental issues as well as advocacy for ethnic studies, and the global non-aligned movement. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1986 and began his legal career in New York with Simpson Thacher. He later moved to Hong Kong in 1992 to help inaugurate the firm’s Hong Kong office.
He subsequently practiced law for many years with Jones Day in its Hong Kong and Beijing offices before retiring in 2019 to join his family in Kona, Hawaii. He loved to cook and enjoyed entertaining friends and neighbors with hearty, elaborate meals. In retirement, he was also fond of watching Korean dramas on television and driving his pickup truck all over the Big Island.
Ben was no saint. He could be infuriating as well as charming. He will be remembered for his wit, fondness for practical jokes, curiosity, and generosity.
He is survived by his wife, Jane; his daughter, Nicole; and his sisters, Jeanne and Wenda. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to The Orphaned Starfish Foundation (https://www.osf.org/).
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Tributes
Share a favorite memory, send condolences, and honor Benedict’s life with a heartfelt message.
Wai Yee & Ian
We will always remember his warm personality, sharp intellect, amazing hospitality and huge laugh! We will always remember the many happy moments, dinners, wines, debates... RIP Ben
Randy Chow
Hi Ben, Emily and I feel so blessed to have met you over 30 years ago. Thanks for the lively and thoughtful conversations which will always be remembered. All our thoughts to Jane, Nikki, and the Tai family. Randy and Emily
Dr. Earl Ernest Guile
Ben was my brother-in-law. Ann Guile, my late wife, introduced me to Ben when we lived in Boston. Ben was a student at Brandeis University. He was active for human rights. I remember Ben as being distinctly knowledgeable on the major issues of the day. I enjoyed those discussions we had. I remember those potluck dinners then. Ben pursued law in order to further his ability to fight for his values. We also thank Jane and Ben for organizing the Foung family’s first reunion in Hawaii. Ann and I visited and enjoyed the incredible hospitality of Ben and Jane in Hong Kong. They took us out to Clearwater Bay and shared one of the best seafood restaurants on the waters in Hong Kong. We are all inspired by how he did not let childhood polio slow him down. May he rest in peace. My condolences to Jane and Nikki and the rest of the family. Earl Ernest Guile
Helen Zia
I have been so saddened by the news of Ben’s passing. We first met in Boston when he was a college activist at Brandeis and we tried to make good trouble together. I remember his stories of his high school activism in Georgia and how he met then governor Jimmy Carter. I especially remember Ben’sinfectious smile and dead pan humor, always with a glint of mischief in his eyes. He was impressively strong and quite skilled with nunchucks, woe to anyone who might try to mess with Ben! We reconnected when Ben was in Asia. He and Jane graciously let me stay with them when I was doing research and interviews in Beijing and Hong Kong for my book Last Boat Out of Shanghai, offering suggestions of people, places and of course delicious food to try. He arranged for me to meet his mother in Kona, since her story was also part of that diaspora. Lots of other good memories. Rest in power, Ben!
Bill Fong
I first had the privilege of working alongside Ben. He was an outstanding professional whose natural curiosity and depth of knowledge in corporate finance always stood out (deal generation, structuring, negotiation). Over time, my wife, Lenore and I were fortunate to get to know both Ben and Jane outside of work. Ben was a generous host who hosted memorable dinner parties, always ready to dive into lively conversations about science, politics, or wine. When our family visited them in Hawaii a few years ago, he was just as we always remembered him: witty, warm, and brilliantly sharp. Jane, our hearts are with you, and Ben will be deeply missed.
Eric Yeung
Thank you Ben for making such an impact on my life, although we had only met once. Without Ben, I would not be where I am today, and I will always be grateful for Ben’s selfless help all those years back. Condolences to Ben’s friends and family, and hope Ben is in a better place now.
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