Jimmy Tatsu Hondo

Jimmy Tatsu Hondo JAN. 6, 1928 - JUNE 17, 2024

ONTARIO

Jimmy Tatsuo Hondo, a resident of Ontario, Oregon passed away on June 17, 2024 at Brookdale Oswego Springs in Portland, Oregon. He passed peacefully in his sleep after previously spending Father's Day with his family and enjoying a home cooked meal.

Jimmy was born January 6, 1928 to Shoichi and Maki Hondo in Blazon, Wyoming, a mining town outside of Kemmerer. With his family, he moved to Hiroshima, Japan but his father passed in the United States before he could join them. In 1940, Jimmy returned to the United States with his mother to live in Los Angeles. When the US government ordered Japanese-Americans to be relocated outside the west coast of the United States, Jimmy and his mother moved to Lava Hot Springs, Idaho and became farm laborers during the war.

In 1946, Jimmy moved to Ontario, Oregon to work for Watanabe Farms. Along with his mother, he was able to purchase some acreage and begin his own farm. In 1959, Jimmy met the mainstay for his future family, Kiku Nikaido. Though it was an arranged marriage, it was a strong one based on respect and a lot of cajoling. Economically the farm wasn't feasible, so Jimmy went to work for Iseri Produce and then Ore-Ida Foods. He worked for Ore-Ida Foods for 26 years before retiring in 1993.

He loved being a handyman (though a lot of his projects never seemed to get finished) and a gardener (always competing with his wife for growing the best produce). He enjoyed his time traveling to see relatives and vacations to Japan, the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia, DisneyLand and DisneyWorld, and Hawaii. Along with watching TV, his favorite pastimes were a friendly game of cards, either Shanghai or hanafuda (a Japanese card game), with friends and family.

He is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Ted Hondo and Mas Hondo; and his sisters, Daisy (George) Mori and Mary (Shigeru) Miya.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Kiku Hondo; two sons, Craig (Carolyn) Hondo and Dean Hondo; and two daughters, Lori (Ray) Fukunaga and Amy Hondo–along with four grandchildren, Harrison, Kayla, David, and Kristi; and a number of nieces and nephews.

Bedside services were performed by Reverend Ron Kobata. Seven day and forty-nine day observances will be performed privately.