Thomas Sadao Fujiyoshi

Husband, father, friend, genius, Thomas Sadao Fujiyoshi left us on September 13, 2010. Tom was born December 14, 1932, in Bartlesville, OK, son of Jane Sadako (Takeuchi) and Thomas Yasaburo Fujiyoshi. Tom earned a BS in aeronautical engineering, joined the Martin Co. as a rocket engineer at Vandenberg AFB, and married his lifetime love and collaborator Marilyn Foss. He oversaw 109 successful launches, but his greatest pride was raising his three sons. Work took him to Canada, Washington, DC, and Denver. Tom and Marilyn retired to Sebastopol to be closer to their sons, and here Tom lived his greatest contentment, creating fine craft pieces, keeping bees, and seeing the western states by camper. He was board member of the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, whale watch docent, and board member and docent of Fort Ross State Park, and served meals on wheels with the Council on Aging. Tom had a brilliant mind, delighted in ingenuity, and could make instant friends with you. After surviving thyroid surgery as a teen, he saw every new day as a bonus. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, sons Phillip and Matthew, and son and daughter-in-law Christopher and Abbey (Hassinger).