Gene Yoshiharu Chikami

March 4, 1941 - March 27, 2023 Gene Chikami was born to Susumu and Kaoru Chikami on March 4, 1941 in Los Angeles. For more than 50 years, Gene served as owner and president of S&K Landscape and Maintenance, a locally based, family-owned company that he ran successfully until he retired at age 80. After a short illness he passed away peacefully surrounded by family on March 27, 2023 in Long Beach. He was 82 years old.
An energetic child and teenager, Gene worked tirelessly with his parents and siblings to create a successful nursery business, known as S&K Nursery, that thrived for many decades. Gene graduated from Warren High School in Downey and attended several semesters of community college to study for his contractor's license. Soon afterward, he met and married his wife, Kiyoko Nakamura, and together they had three children Mitchell, Arleen, and Christopher.
With the success of S&K Nursery, Gene saw an opportunity to parlay his knowledge of plants and design into a full-service landscaping company. Initially focused on residential work, Gene quickly sought larger commercial and civic projects, and began working with many developers and construction companies, a move which proved to be advantageous. S&K Landscape was highly successful, with nearly 75 employees at its height. The company's award-winning portfolio of more than 500 commercial, civic, and industrial projects spanned California and Nevada. Notable projects included the Ritz Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, Costco Distribution Center in Ontario, Golden Triangle Industrial in Las Vegas, Children's Court in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County Emergency Center, Nederlander Amphitheater in Costa Mesa, Kaiser Permanente Medical Offices in San Diego, and the Hollywood Bowl Parking Expansion.
S&K Landscape and Maintenance weathered many economic ups and downs during its nearly six decades of operations. In the last 15 years it downsized to focus on landscape maintenance, with commercial projects in LA, Orange, and Riverside Counties. Today, it continues to serve Southern California as a family-owned business under a new generation of leadership. In 2022, Gene proudly turned the reins over to his granddaughter Tahlena Chikami Williams.
In addition to his wife Kiyoko, Gene leaves behind his sister Joanne Kuniko Kokka (Sam), his sons, Mitchell and Christopher (Elaine), daughter Arleen (Ron), and grandchildren Koji Schafer and Tahlena Chikami Williams (Brian), as well as many other nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is pre-deceased by his parents and younger brother Kenneth Eiji Chikami.