Kimihiro Sera

1937 - 2023

Kimihiro Sera

July 27, 1937 - September 17, 2023

Fowler, California - On September 17, Kimihiro Sera, 86, passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife of 58 years and his three children. A loving husband, dad, grandpa, oniisan, ojisan and friend, Kimihiro was born in Hiroshima, Japan on July 27, 1937, to Torao and Mitsuno Sera.

Growing up was not easy. When he was four, his father passed away, leaving his mother to raise him and his brother, Tsugio, in Jigozen during World War II. When he was eight, he witnessed the mushroom cloud from the atomic bomb that ended the war.

At 19, Kimihiro came to the U.S., arriving at the port of San Francisco on June 28, 1957. Living in the Central Valley, he worked in the field and for a local family while taking English classes at Edison High. After completing his general education at Fresno City College, he graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in 1964 with a degree in Architectural Engineering.

On June 5, 1965, he married Hitomi Arasuna, and they built their life together in Fowler with their children, Yumi, Clifford and Emily, and his mother-in-law Toshiko.

He earned his Civil and Structural Engineering licenses from the State of California. In 1971, he co-founded Structcon with Ralph Lind and Richard Silberstein. He became president of Structcon in 1987 and continued in that capacity until his passing. During his career, he was responsible for the structural design of such notable projects as Fresno City Hall, Fresno Heart Hospital, Selland Arena expansion and Fresno State University's original Bulldog Stadium. In 1992, he was honored with Outstanding Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

In his final days, however, it was not his professional accomplishments that he was most proud of, but rather his friendships and family. Along with his wife and kids, he is survived by his sons-in-law, Rob Clevenger and Andreas Rose; grandchildren, Amelia, Bobby and Oskar; sister, Mami Kondo; brothers-in-law, Jun Kondo and Eiji Arasuna; sister-in-law, Yasuko Sera; and nieces and nephews, Minako, Takahiro, Isse, Nanaka and Marin. A memorial service will be held later in the year. Donations may be made to the Fowler Buddhist Church or your favorite charity.