George Masanobu Fukukai

George Masanobu Fukukai passed away July 30, 2004 in the Spokane Valley, where he had lived for two years. He had previously lived in Othello, Wash. for 45 yeras.

George was born in Monrovia, Calif. on December 22, 1916. He graduated Long Beach Polytechnic High School in California and attended Waseda University of Toyko, Japan. He also attended UCLA.

George met Kimi Matsushita in Idaho and they soon married in 1950.

He farmed in Nampa, Idaho and Othello, Wash. He was a member of the Thousand Club of the JACL hobby. He also a pen pal to the Takada family of Sapporo, Japan.

Survivors include: his wife, Kim Fukukai; daughter, Eileen and Fermin Garcia of Spokane; son, Randall Fukukai of Seattle; sister, Haruko and Ted Naritoku of California; grandson, Scott Garcia Chiba of Japan; granddaughter, Kim Garcia of Las Vegas, Nev.; and nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m., August 7, 2004 at Highland Park United Methodist Church, 611 S. Garfield in Spokane.

Graveside services will be held August 10, 2004 at 1 p.m. at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens in Othello.