Koichi Tagawa - Rafu Shimpo

Koichi Tagawa
April 26, 1930 – January 15, 2021

Koichi Tagawa, 90, passed away unexpectedly on January 15, 2021 through several medical complications.

He was born on April 26, 1930 in Los Angeles as the eldest of three children to Mitsuo and Fumiko Tagawa. Before WWII, his parents took them to Tokyo for about a year where his sister Mitsuko was born.

He and his siblings Rikio and Mitsuko were sent to Odawara, Japan when he was around 5 years old and grew up through grade school. Then, after the war he went back to Tokyo to attend Soyo Middle School after which he attended Waseda High School through recommendation of Mr. Itakura. Still in his teens, he would move back to L.A. to continue his education, eventually joining the U.S. Army in 1951.

Koichi was stationed in Okinawa during the Korean War and served active duty until 1955. He married Yoshiko and they had two boys, Jimmy and Leo. Thereafter, he worked as an Army civilian for about 20 years and retired as one of the highest-ranking position at GS14.

He came back to L.A. with his second wife and had a daughter, Aiko. He always found time to help relatives and friends in need of comfort.

More than trying to achieve his status, he spent much of his LIFE always giving to family and friends in need. He led with action, not with words and broken promises. Koichi was a man with an infectious smile and had some humor. Family and friends appreciated his jovial side as he joked around for some laughs that made you feel at ease.

His hobbies included playing the piano, Ego & chess, scuba diving, kendo, crosswords puzzles, among many other interests.

His unique and humble life led to his interest in astronomy as he enjoyed gazing the skies at night through a telescope he had bought. He also enjoyed listening to classical music like Beethoven, Brahms, and Mozart on a reel-to-reel tapes and vinyl albums.

Koichi certainly knew how to enjoy life to the fullest. One of the best gifts he left behind was his personal collection of photographs he took throughout his lifetime. These times, captured in his perspective, will tell his story to all future Tagawa generations.

He is survived by his siblings: Rikio Tagawa & Mitsuko Takayasu; children, Jimmy, Leo, Aiko ; grandchildren, Justin, Ryan, Nolan, Ryusei and Sora; great-grandchildren, Sakura & Momoka; and many nieces and nephews.