Tak Inouye

Tak Inouye, a Kingsburg native, passed away at the age of 91 on Sat. February 14, 2009. Born July 24, 1917 to Zenjiro and Toku Inouye, Tak was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him. During WWII, Tak and his family were interned at the relocation center in Jerome, Arkansas. After a brief stay, he worked as a carpenter in Bridgeport, CT, before being inducted into the U.S. Army. He served in the U.S. Military Intelligence Service with the First Cavalry forces during the occupation of Japan. After his service, he returned home and resumed farming in Madera, then Kingsburg. Here he raised his family and farmed until his retirement. Tak was an active member of the Kingsburg and Fresno Buddhist Churches, and the Betsuin Senior Club. He was an avid fisherman, loved to bowl, and enjoyed Tai Chi. He was preceded in death by parents Zenjiro and Toku Inouye; brothers Harry and Kaz Inouye, and sister Hideko Kawasaki. Tak is survived by Tokiye, his loving wife of 61 years; son Tim, daughters Jessica, Rachel of Visalia; daughter Florence Hamamoto, children Staci, Preston, Lesli, granddaughter Autumn of Fresno; son John, wife Lisa, children Christopher, Cameron, Cortney of Kingsburg; and son Lyndon, wife Cindy, daughter Morgan of Kingsburg; siblings Miwa Takayama of Selma, Sumiko Ota of Monterey Park, Lily Araki of Selma, and Richard Inouye of Fresno; and many nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held at Creighton Memorial Chapel on Wed., February 18, 2009 from 2-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held on Thurs., February 19, 2009 at 1 p.m. at the Kingsburg Buddhist Church, 831 Orange, Kingsburg, CA 93631.