TAKAYUKI MAEDA

MAEDA TAKAYUKI, formerly of Farmington Hills, was born on July 17, 1927 in Papaaloa, Hawaii. He was the fourth child of Suetaro and Asao Maeda who emigrated from Kumamota, Japan. He served in the U.S. Army from October 12, 1945 through February 5, 1947, and was honorably discharged. Through the GI bill, he attended the University of Hawaii and then the University of Michigan and graduated with a B.S. degree in Engineering in 1951. He began his engineering career at Pearl Harbor, while co-owning K & M Service Station in Kalihi. Taka married Hanae Sagawa on July 17, 1953 in Honolulu, Hawaii. The couple moved to Michigan where Taka worked as an engineer for 38 years for Giffels and Rosetti, Ford Motor Company and Giffels and Associates while teaching night class at the College of Engineering in Detroit, MI. Through his dedication and work ethic he worked his way up from draftsman to the president of Giffels and Associates, a world class architectural firm in Southfield, Michigan. He also served on the Board of Licensing and Accreditation for the State of Michigan. Taka's true joy in life was his family to whom he was passionately devoted. He leaves behind a wife of 58 years, Hanae Maeda; his first son, Dr. Chris Maeda, his wife Jayne, granddaughter Lisa, of Overland Park, Kansas; a second son, Gary Maeda, granddaughter Amber, grandson Matthew, of Farmington Hills, MI; a daughter, Wendy Kern, her husband Steve, twin grandsons Nick and Adam, granddaughter Emma, of Ann Arbor, MI. They will all miss his sense of fun, compassion and kindness. Through all of them, he leaves behind an irrefutable legacy of devotion and love for family. In Hawaii, Taka was predeceased by his half sister Hatsuko Fujimori and her deceased husband Masaki, their children Edwin, Roy, Gladys and Bert; Taka leaves behind a brother Yasuyuki Maeda, his wife Alma, their son Patrick and daughter Ann; a sister Shizuko Mitchell, her deceased husband Wallace Mitchell, their daughters Teri, Pamela, and Janyce; a sister Yaeko Okita, her husband Herbert, their sons Glenn and Mark and a sister Reiko Maeda. His siblings and extended family will miss him dearly. Taka devoted his life to his six grandchildren who he visited constantly even during his retirement years in Kailua, Hawaii. He has given them the gift of many precious memories for which they are all extraordinarily grateful. Taka died on February 14, 2011. Valentine's Day is an international day during which humans profess their love for one another, and with this writing our family wishes to express our love for "Opa." May he rest in peace. A private service was held and interment will be at Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI. Memorials may be made to the michaeljfox.org for Parkinson's Disease.