Dedicated scholar/researcher/engineer, devoted husband & loving father, Kiyonaga "Keith" Okamoto, age 90, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 16, 2011.
Keith was born on September 15, 1920 in Upland, California, the eldest son of 7 children (3 boys & 4 girls) of Tsurumatsu & Iso Okamoto. He graduated Chaffey Union High School in Ontario, California in 1939. He received an Associate’s Degree from Chaffey Junior College of Ontario, California in 1941. He continued his undergraduate studies at the University of California at Berkley in 1941. In 1942, his studies were interrupted by the Japanese American relocation efforts, following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which displaced his family to Poston, AZ.
He was able to resume his undergraduate studies in 1943 at the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. In 1944, his studies were again interrupted when he was drafted into the Army, where he volunteered to serve as part of the U.S. Military Intelligence Service (MIS), attaining the rank of Technical Sergeant & seeing active duty in both the United States & the Pacific theaters of World War II. Keith was honorably discharged in 1946, whereupon he returned to the University of Tulsa, receiving his Bachelor’s Degree in Petroleum Engineering in 1947. He continued his studies in graduate school at the University of Texas at Austin, completing both a Master’s Degree and a Doctorate Degree in Chemical Engineering in 1949 and 1952, respectively.
He met Patty Nishimoto in the fall of 1953 & they were wed in December 1954. They remained married for almost 41 years until Patty's death in 1995. They lived in Dickinson, Texas for most of these 41 years. Keith worked for 26 years as a plant superintendent for Monsanto in Texas City, Texas, working on process improvements for the production of methanol.
Predeceased are his wife, Patty, his brothers, Masato “Sat” Okamoto & William “Bill” Okamoto and sisters, Mary Kanki & Sumako Nakamura. Keith is survived by his three children: Robert & Cheryl Okamoto of Austin, Texas, Carole Okamoto of Seattle, Washington, and Andrew & Lynn Okamoto of Olney, Maryland, & their two children, Kameyo Okamoto & Kiyomi Okamoto, as well as his remaining two sisters, Ada Tsurutani of Minnetonka, Minnesota & Eva Inaba of Marina Del Ray, California.
A memorial service & reception will be held in his honor on Saturday, May 14, 2011 at 2 p.m. at the Covenant Presbyterian Church [3003 Northland Dr, Austin, TX 78757/(512) 454-5231]. The family is asking that all memorial contributions be made to the American Diabetes Association, 1701 Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311 or at: www.diabetes.org or to the charity of your choice.