Masao Nagai, 83, a resident of Santa Barbara, Calif., passed away on March 25, 2019. Born Jan. 9, 1936 in Tokyo, Japan, he arrived with his family in California in 1968. Masao had been an active member and president of the Japanese Landscape Gardeners Association. He was known as “Mas” to his many wonderful landscaping, fishing, and karaoke circle of friends from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles and Japan.
He is survived by his wife, Koharu; son, George; daughters, Yumiko and Emiko; sister, Chieko Hirashima; son-in-law, LTC Lars Staack; daughter-in- law, Alice; and two grandchildren.
Masao’s memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at Bethany Congregational Church, 556 N. Hope Avenue, in Santa Barbara.