Takeru Okamoto

Takeru Okamoto of Castroville, CA passed away peacefully Sunday, April 14, 2013 at Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital following a stroke.
He was born January 14, 1930 in Kagoshima, Japan, the youngest child of Shinkichi and Oto Okamoto. In 1955, Takeru immigrated to the United States, first to Visalia, CA, then to Los Angeles where he worked as a gardener. He married Itsuko Hamada in 1958 and they started a family. In 1973, the family moved to Castroville, CA where Takeru and Itsuko started a flower growing business, and continued until he retired in 1994.
Takeru was a member of the Watsonville Buddhist Temple, Japanese American Citizens League, Kagoshima Kenjinkai, and Nansatsu Doshi kai.
Takeru is survived by his wife of 55 years Itsuko, sons Michael, Charles, Frank, and Roy, sisters Toki Arimura and Tsuya Okamoto. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, brother Hisao Okamoto and sister Hine Kajisa.
Memorial Service will be held Sunday, April 21, 2013, 2:00 PM at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple.