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Mark Ashizawa Obituary
Mark Ashizawa
April 17, 1950 -
June 22, 2021
Resident of Oakland
Mark Masaaki Ashizawa died peacefully on June 22, 2021 in Oakland, California from cancer at the age of 71. Mark was born and raised in San Francisco, graduated from Galileo High School and the University of Oregon. He earned his MBA and worked for Prudential Insurance and retired recently from Everest Reinsurance. Mark also worked for many years on weekends at the family business, Soko Hardware.
Mark was an avid golfer and frequently golfed in Hawaii. He became a distance runner during his stint at UO. He liked to travel: his work brought him to many cities across the US and he vacationed often in Asia, especially Vietnam.
Predeceased by parents Masao and Agnes Ashizawa, Mark is survived by sister, Brenda (Alvin) Katekaru, younger brother, Philip (Eunice) Ashizawa, a niece and three nephews.
Private services were held.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Mark Ashizawa
4 Entries
Yolanda Trevino
September 5, 2021
My condolences to the Ashizawa family. I worked with Mark for many years at Prudential Re in San Francisco 40 yrs ago. I just recently opened a bottle of Ginseng and remembered how you brought everyone a bottle to try in the office to try. To this day, I have them in my cupboards. Rest in Peace Mark.
Paul Eng
August 23, 2021
I am saddened to hear of Mark Ashizawa passing in June 2021. I remembered Mark when I went to the San Francisco Buddhist Church in Japantown to attend the memorial services for his father several years ago. Prior to his father´s memorial service, I have not seen Mark in the years after our graduation from Galileo High. He looked totally amazing in that he looked physically slim from his football days. I encountered Mark again in 2019 one Saturday afternoon at his family business at Soko Hardware during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Mark was sitting on a stool on the lower floor of the store answering questions from customers shopping at the store. I was in the store taking a breather from photographing the day´s event of the Cherry Blossom Festival around me. I met up with Mark and shared many moments of our years at Galileo High from 1965-1967. Mark, by the way, was in many of my classes at Galileo and later on at Fort Mason where we commuted from the main campus by walking to and from on Bay Street on our way to the bungalow rooms at Fort Mason for classes. I remembered Mark´s strong grip of confidence when I shake hands with him as he was once a football player playing for the Galileo lions. We touched on many subjects and I remembered Mark fondly as a kind and gentle person in his own way once you get to know him as I did during our high school years. Mark, rest in peace and one day we will meet again. Take care my friend.
Paul Eng
August 23, 2021
I am saddened to hear of Mark Ashizawa´s passing in June 2021. I remembered Mark when I went to the San Francisco Buddhist Church in Japantown to attend the memorial services for his father several years ago. Prior to his father´s memorial service, I have not seen Mark in the years after our graduation from Galileo High. He looked totally amazing in that he looked physically slim from his football days. I encountered Mark again in 2019 one Saturday afternoon at his family business at Soko Hardware during the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Mark was sitting on a stool on the lower floor of the store answering questions from customers shopping at the store. I was in the store taking a breather from photographing the day´s event of the Cherry Blossom Festival around me. I met up with Mark and shared many moments of our years at Galileo High from 1965-1967. Mark, by the way, was in many of my classes at Galileo and later on at Fort Mason where we commuted from the main campus by walking to and from on Bay Street on our way to the bungalow rooms at Fort Mason for classes. I remembered Mark´s strong grip of confidence when I shake hands with him as he was once a football player playing for the Galileo lions. We touched on many subjects and I remembered Mark fondly as a kind and gentle person in his own way once you get to know him as I did during our high school years. Mark, rest in peace and one day we will meet again. Take care my friend.
Lois Fong-Tsukuda
August 22, 2021
Remembering Mark, went to Galileo High School in San Francisco with him. May he rest in peace!
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