Thomas Tetsuo Tawa, Jr. passed away peacefully on June 20, 2025, at the age of 85. Tom was born and raised in Los Angeles, where he attended Dorsey High School. After serving in the U.S. Army, he graduated from the Los Angeles Art Center. He went on to pursue an award-winning career as a commercial creative director in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. After retiring, he and wife, Millie, moved to the wine country in Sonoma County, where they built their new home, “Blue Dog Ranch”. This included a well-equipped barn where he enjoyed carpentry, his motorcycles and vintage cars. Other favorite pursuits were playing electronic backgammon while listening to his vast collection of music.
Tom is survived by his wife, Millie Olson; children, Brad (Kathy), Kimi (Dean) Masukawa; grandchildren, Lindsay, Maddie, Kyle and Jake; siblings, Margaret, Richard (Angela), Louise Rudolph, Setsuko Guillen, Eileen (Gordon) Nakamura; many nieces and nephews; and other relatives and friends. He is predeceased by parents, Tetsuo and Shizuye; and brother, Gene.
A celebration of life will be held at Union Church of Los Angeles, located at 401 E. 3rd Street, Los Angeles, on Saturday, August 16th, at 11:30 a.m.
Donations will be made in Tom’s honor to Alzheimer’s Association.