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BORN

1921

DIED

2015

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The Paul Mortuary

390 Lighthouse Ave

Pacific Grove, California

Takashi Hattori Obituary

Takashi Hattori
Nov. 22, 1921 - Jan. 11, 2015
Carmel
On Sunday, January 11, 2015 Dr. Takashi Hattori passed away peacefully at home. He was 93. A longtime resident of Monterey, he was known as "Tak", a kind, warm, and generous man who touched so many lives over his 93 years. His greatest gift was his selfless devotion to this community, and for his warm smile and can-do attitude no matter what. He leaves behind a legacy of trust, friendship and love.
Tak was born November 22, 1921 in Stockton, California, the last of six children and the fourth to be born a Nisei, or second-generation Japanese American. His family returned to the Monterey Peninsula the next year where they started an abalone fishing business. He attended Bay View Elementary School and graduated from Monterey High School in 1939, then attended Hartnell College in Salinas for two years.
Then, on Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japan bombed Pearl Harbor and his life was to change forever. Initially required to sign up for active duty, he served with the California National Guard until February 19, 1942 when Executive Order 9066 was issued and over 100,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to internment camps in various locations. He and his family were sent to Rohwer, Arkansas, where they remained until 1945.
After leaving the camp, he initially found employment as a lab assistant at the Lankenau Hospital Cancer Research Center in Philadelphia, then left to pursue pre-med studies at the Univ. of Wisconsin at Madison; but in February of 1947 during his freshman year, nearly starving, he decided to volunteer for the medical corps. A broken knee made him 4-F, and he was sent to Berlin to work with the 10th General Medical Dispensary where he again worked as a lab technician, eventually being promoted to Staff Sargent in charge of Bacteriology and Serology. By 1949, his tour was up. And with 3 months of accrued leave, a snazzy Leica camera and 3 lenses which he won for $50 in a lottery, and his prized Leica microscope (that cost him 6 cartons of cigarettes, which he had saved since he did not smoke!), he set out to see Europe, traveling to Switzerland, France and Italy. On his last day in Rome (and his last lira), wondering how he would get back to Germany, he ran into a bunch of fliers who offered to take him back. He said one of his fondest memories was of that flight and the spectacular views of the Swiss Alps at sunset it offered. That was not the only time he ran into some dumb luck.
In the summer of 1950, after finishing his pre-med studies and waiting to see if he would be accepted to the Temple University Medical School in Philadelphia, he discovered he could be paid $50 to drive a new car from Madison to its new owner in San Francisco. As luck would have it, the car he got to drive was a brand new Fleetwood Cadillac (and thus his love affair with fine automoblies began). He stopped in Monterey on the way, and five days after returning from San Francisco the Korean War started and he was required to report for active duty at Fort Ord, CA. He was then sent to the Walter Reed Army Research Medical Center in Washington, D.C. A week later he received his acceptance letter from Temple University Medical School. He took the letter to the Adjutant General who told him, "too bad." But, as luck would have it (again), one of his old Berlin buddies was now working for the Pentagon, and got strings pulled that allowed him to return to inactive duty and attend medical school.
Soon after starting at med school, he met Mary Lou Myers, a nursing student at Temple University, on a blind date. Although she was initially reluctant to date a Japanese American, he soon won her over and on April 15, 1954 they were married, despite protestations from her Pennsylvania Dutch family. He soon won them over, though, too. Steve, their first child, was born in 1955; that summer Tak graduated from medical school.
In 1957 he came to Monterey to do his internship in family practice at Natividad Hospital in Salinas, where he had many horror stories, including one 8-hour shift in during which he said he saw 50 ER patients, delivered three babies and performed one appendectomy by himself. The next year he returned to Walter Reed to do his residency in Radiology. Karen was born there in 1958, followed by Michael in 1959. That year, he was stationed in at the Neubrucke Station Hospital in Germany to do his 3-year payback time. The rest of the family followed several months later.
In 1964, he and the family returned to the US, eventually returning to Monterey to live. At this point he also left the Army and joined the Naval Reserves where he did voluntary work reading x-rays, doing physicals, and training residents at Oak Knoll Hospital.
He initially found a job as a radiologist at the then Monterey Hospital (now the Hartnell Medical Center), where their fourth child, Andy, was born in 1965. In 1967 he left to join Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula, where he remained until his retirement in 1993, serving his last years as Chief of Radiology. He was the epitome of the "good doctor" and his warm and generous manner earned him many, many friends there.
His real passion, though, and the true testament to his selfless nature, began in 1967, spurred by his brother Roy's interest in SCUBA diving and history with hardhat abalone diving, and the new hyperbaric chamber that the Pacific Grove Fire Department had bought recently. In short order, he became the "go-to" dive physician for most of California, earning the him the nickname of "Dive Doc," and over the years becoming a world-renowned hyperbaric expert. He was responsible for obtaining and bringing online the large multiplace hyperbaric chamber that is still in use today. Until then all cases of the bends and air embolism were treated in the tiny, cramped, phonebooth-sized chamber with a tiny 4" window, often taking 12 hours or more; his favorite place was straddled over the chamber so he could see in the window - the staff threatened to buy him a saddle! He served as the Medical Director for 44 years, on call 24/7 on a purely voluntary basis; over this time he treated more than 375 patients successfully, saving many, many lives.
For this incredible devotion and service he received many awards and recognitions, including a Naval Reserve Commander Letter of Commendation for Exceptional Dedication and Service, a US Coast Guard Public Service Commendation, the Undersea Medical Society Award for Selfless Service, and in 1995, the Merrill P. Spencer Life Achievement Award, Pacific Chapter of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. In 2011, he retired from the Hyberbaric Chamber and for his 44 years of service he received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for Outstanding and Invaluable Service to the Community, presented by Sam Farr; he also received a Mayoral Proclamation for Dedicated Service to the Community.
He also received many other service awards, including the Outstanding Community Service Award, Monterey JACL, the 1975 Outstanding Public Service Award, Monterey Planning Commission, and a 25-yr Award of Distinctive Recognition from the Monterey Kiwanis Club. In 1993 he was named Monterey County Physician of the Year.
He also served as President of the Monterey JACL, member of the Monterey Planning Commission from 1970-1974, Board of Directors for the Asilomar Conference Center from 1970-1980, and President of the Monterey Academy of Medicine.
He is survived by his four children, Steve, Karen, Michael, and Andy, all of whom live nearby, and his four grandchildren, Arielle, Mallory, Damen and Taylor.
A memorial service and reception will be held at 2pm Saturday, January 24 at the Monterey Buddhist Temple, 1155 Noche Buena St, Seaside.
Please send any donations to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation, 99 Pacific St., Building 455E, Monterey, CA 93940 and note "for Pacific Grove hyperbaric chamber."

Published by Monterey Herald Obits on Jan. 15, 2015.
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Memories and Condolences
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I am sorry to hear so belatedly that "Tak" Hattori has passed on. He was a kind and distinguished man. So loved by his family and friends. What a wonderful and amazing life! My sincerest sympathies go out to the Hattori family for their loss.

Marianne Grover

June 2, 2015

Sending love and condolences to his beautiful family.

Melena Scampa

February 7, 2015

Steve, Karen,Mike and Andy,

I feel me life is fuller having known your dad. Prayers for your family.

Fondly, Dawn Petersen

January 25, 2015

Sterling on all levels. What a legacy he has left behind.
We will always smile when we think of him.
Arno and Linda Hanel

January 23, 2015

An exceptional human being.

Audrey Morris

January 20, 2015

I have many fond memories of Dr. Hattori from my 23 years at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. He was a kind, gentle, man. Sincere condolences to his family.

Margery Peterson

January 19, 2015

A kind and generous man of a very rare kind. I worked side by side with this saint on earth, and was lucky to learn more patience and acceptance in his shadow.

Noelle Nichols

January 19, 2015

This is a thank you to everyone out there who knew my father. My dad was a great man... Yes he was. Now like all great men he did not acheive all the afore mentioned accolades alone. He had whole teams of people in both lofty and humble places.He had friends in powerful , and sometimes lucky positions to whom he reached out in times of need ,to help someone...anyone. To all of you who reached back, we his family bow to you. It is not small, it is great. It is not general, it is deeply personal.It gave him such joy when it all worked...and such sorrow when it didn't. It hurt him deeply...yes ,it did. My fathers pain was terrible to my eyes. It taught me that reaching is what matters ,and that great men grieve.Regardless ,nothing stopped him from reaching out the next time ,and all of you were always there, for who could say "no"to Dr. Tak Hattori? Some times it was many of you ,sometimes it was just one ,at all hours ,day and night. It was a princely gift you gave him, all your time and work.So we, his family,Thank You,all of you, for giving our father his life...as he wanted it ,as he worked for it ,and as he loved it. He knew you , he never forgot you or failed to acknowledge you. You made him a happy ,happy and very beloved man. The lives that you all saved and touched ,together will stand forever in time, reaching even to the unborn ,who outnumber us all... Dear Daddy.... Oh,Priceless man... "rest you gentle ,sleep you sound". We will remember you often and well. With love ,eternal gratitude and joy,Karen Hattori.

January 18, 2015

Dr. Hattori, Tak, sets the standard for compassion, competence and dedication. He has enriched many lives. He is a colleague and friend.

Ben Slade

January 18, 2015

To all the Hattori family.. Many heartfelt condolences to all of you in this very difficult time!! What a great life he led and exciting.. He touched so many lives in all his travels.. He will be very missed...

Terri chaplan

January 17, 2015

My most sincere sympathy to the entire Hattori family. What a wonderful, wonderful man he was. Always thinking of others, always smiling, always helping. I worked with him for 8 years, and he was a dream to work with. I can remember a few times when he was called in during the middle of the night, and would help us techs by actually going into the darkroom and processing our films for us, so we could keep going with our x-rays. He was a dear man and was a gift to us and to all who knew him.

jan dunn jakubik

January 16, 2015

We all have fond memories and respect for a wonderful man and physician.
He was a leader, mentor, friend and colleague. There will never be another Tak.

Dan and Lori Hightower

January 16, 2015

Our condolences to the Hattori family. May you remember Tak with his frendly smile.

Martin . Karen and Valerie Minami

January 15, 2015

He was a dear friend who helped me get into the Navy then after as my friend, Great Man, he will be missed.

Thomas Robertson

January 15, 2015

When I think of a definition of gentleman and gentle man, I will always think of Dr. Hattori. He always saw positive in every thing and every body, and he was a true inspiration to those who worked with him. We learned a lot about radiology, but more about the spirit from him, by watching how he conducted himself in every situation....ending most encounters and most conversations with that that infectious laugh. Your family was blessed to have him for so long.

Shirley Chapman

January 15, 2015

I had the honor and privilege to work along side this wonderful doctor for 8 years in the Radiology department of Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula. He treated every member of the staff with respect and he was never too busy to help, instruct, or just talk to staff and patients alike. My condolences to the family on the loss of this exceptional human being.

Claire Flanders

January 15, 2015

I WAS IN THE NAVAL RESERVE WHEN DR. HATTORI WAS OUR MEDICAL OFFICER. AT THE TIME HE WAS INVOLVED WITH THE PACIFIC GROVE DEEP SEA DIVING CHAMBER.
I FOUND MANY SPOTS ON MY BODY AND OF COURSE I THOUGHT IMMEDIATELY OF CANCER. SINCE I HAD TO GET A PHYSICAL ANYWAY I ASKED DR. HATTORI TO LOOK AT THE SPOTS. HE TOOK A SAMPLE AND DETERMINED THAT I DID NOT HAVE CANCER BUT WARNED ME ABOUT SMOKING A PIPE AS HE SAW PRECANCEROUS WHITE SPOTS ON MY GUMS.
I BECAME A NAVY CHIEF AND NEVER FORGOT THE ASSISTANCE DR. HATTORI DID FOR ME.

HARRY SHAW

January 15, 2015

Our love and prayers to the family of this most remarkable man who leaves an amazing legacy of sterling character, modesty and honor and to be carried on by his children and grandchildren.
From Susanne Buxbaum and Bill Jones

Susanne Buxbaum

January 15, 2015

Tak was of a rare breed and era of men who lived their lives on a higher level of consciousness than most of us. His dedication to his family, his profession, and his community, altered the lives of hundreds of people. He had a wonderful sense of humor and a loving, giving nature. I was honored to be accepted as a close family friend through Karen in my young life and have always considered Tak one of the finest people I have ever had the privilege to know.

Kimberly Watters

January 15, 2015

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Memorial service

2:00 p.m.

Monterey Buddhist Temple

1155 Noche Buena St, Seaside, CA

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390 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950

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