Edward Keiji Koda

KODA, Edward Keiji
Dos Palos, California. Edward Keiji Koda passed away on July 3, 2006, after a six month recovery period following a traumatic auto accident in January. Second son of Keizaburo and Yoshie Kawashima Koda, Edward was born in 1921 in Sacramento. In the late 1920s, the entire family, including his elder brother William, and younger sister Florence, relocated to Dos Palos in the San Joaquin Valley, where Keizaburo Koda set down the roots of the multi-generational rice farming legacy. Edward later attended UC Berkeley and pursued a degree in geological engineering, but these studies were interrupted by WWII. With their eventual release from internment in Amache, Colorado, the Koda family's collective efforts were focused on rebuilding their decimated rice farming operations. In the following decades, Edward and his brother, William, gradually repurchased landholdings, built a new processing facility, and became the first to commercially introduce "mochigome" (sweet rice), under their Sho-Chiku-Bai brand, and its flour, Mochiko Blue Star, to the domestic market. Additionally, their on-site breeding program produced Kokuho Rose, the first super premium medium grain rice. In the early sixties, Edward wed Tama Tsuchiya of San Leandro. Together, they began a family and continued adding to the farming heritage. Edward is survived by his wife Tama, son - Ross, and daughters - Robin and Laura Koda. A memorial will take place Saturday, July 8th at 10 AM at 51170 West Althea, Firebaugh CA 93622. The Koda family kindly requests, in lieu of flowers or remembrances, contributions be made to California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom (www.cfaitc.org).