Ben Shimizu

Ben Shimizu passed away peacefully in the early morning of Monday, August 16, 2010. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Mitoko; his three children and their spouses, Bruce and Kiyo, Joyce and Michael, and Michael; his four grandchildren, Max, Sam, Emma, and Tessa; and his younger brother and his wife, Kei and Mary. He was born on January 19, 1923 on Andrus Island in the Sacramento Delta; married his beloved wife in the Chicago Buddhist Church on April 10, 1950; and moved to Palos Verdes Peninsula in the spring of 1961 where he was a resident for 44 years and an employee of Northrop Corp until he moved onto Holmes & Narver Inc. where he retired in 1998. During his four decades in the South Bay, he was instrumental in the inception of AYSO's Region 10 and the Boys Scouts of America's Troop 998. As a resident of the Grandview Estates neighborhood and a member of the Gardena Buddhist Church he worked thoroughly and selflessly as a volunteer when a need occurred. He never sought the spotlight but never shirked from taking the lead when needed for the betterment of his community and family. He loved his children and grandchildren, his University of Michigan Wolverines, but most of all his Mitoko. He will miss her and will be patiently playing his harmonica while waiting for her. In turn, his family and friends will dearly miss this kind and gentle soul whose patience and understanding made him such a great neighbor, friend, and family man. A service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday August 21, 2010, at Green Hills Memorial Chapel 27501 S. Western Ave., Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. Please sign the guestbook at www.dailybreeze.com/obits.