Jeannie Wokasch (Parente) 

Most people cross the finish line in pain and exhaustion, and our 2026 Hawaii Hall of Famer Jeannie Wokasch is no exception. However, after handily beating the women’s field, she also managed to cartwheel across the finish line, which soon became her trademark. 

Jeannie Wokasch excelled in races locally, nationally, and internationally. She was recruited to run for the Hawaii Pacific University cross-country team in 1993. She was a well-known presence at races of varying distances in Hawaii, winning many of them. She completed six Honolulu Marathons (1989-1998) finishing among the top eight in all of them. She also received the Kamaaina award (fastest local women’s finisher) in the 1992 Honolulu Marathon (2:49:29). Her six Maui Marathons (1990-1999) resulted in first place finishes in all those races but one, and she finished first in all five Kona Marathons (2000-2006) except one. 

Nationally, Wokasch won top awards in the Big Sur Marathon (1992, 2:51:06, 1st place women/1995, 2:48:25, 2nd place women), San Francisco Marathon (1992, 2:43:58, 5th place women), California International Marathon, Sacramento (1991, 2:45:57, 5th place women), Las Vegas Marathon (1992, 2:47:28, 3rd place women), and Grandma’s Marathon (1993, 2:42:16, 5th place women). Wokasch also competed in the Olympic Marathon Team Trials in South Carolina in 1996 (3:00:25). Internationally, Wokasch competed in marathons in Italy, Vancouver, and New Zealand. 

Wokasch was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota as one of eight children.  

Wokasch’s volunteerism includes assisting at Mid-Pacific Road Runners Club races and four years coaching the girls’ cross-country team at Moanalua High School. 

Wokasch worked as a teacher’s assistant at a Honolulu pre-school and raised three sons, all of whom reside in California.