Remembered at a private memorial officiated by Rev. Richard Kuyama of Centenary United Methodist Church on Oct. 24, the close friends and family of James Shimpei Oda celebrated his life which ended peacefully at the age of 95 on Oct. 11 after a lengthy decline from a congestive heart condition. He shall be appreciated for his gratefulness and generosity, his caring and his varied interests, such as writing, gardening and rock hunting.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Mary Sakaguchi Oda; and his surviving daughters, Rosemarie (Jack) Christy, Helen (George) Abe, and Merijane Lee; and seven grandchildren. His son, Eugene, passed away in 1976 in a tragic car accident, and he was laid to rest adjacent to Eugene at Forest Lawn Cemetery. “Jimmy” is also survived by Dr. Sanbo Sakaguchi, Bo (Iku) Sakaguchi and many nieces and nephews and also by relatives in Japan.
www.fukuimortuary.com, (213) 626-0441.