July 5, 1931 - February 5, 2024
February 5, 2024, at 7:04 in the morning, George Tetsumi Yoshihara, 92, passed away peacefully at Good Samaritan Delta View Care Centre.
George was born at home in Webster's Corner on July 5, 1931, to Rinichiro (1897-1972) and Koto (1901-1988), parents to a family of six children: Kay, Aiko, George, Minnie, Bill, and Grace (and two other sons, Eiji and Saburo, who died tragically as babies).
George was a second generation Japanese Canadian, and was always proud to be Canadian, even when interned at the tender age of 11 with his family during WWII. In the BC Interior, George spent his teenage years helping his father provide for the family, logging and making railroad ties alongside the three Nagai brothers (relatives through marriage) who started a sawmill business.
George remembered being taught correspondence school by his sisters, hunting moose for food, and sneaking out of bed to listen to the Hit Parade on the radio (that was only supposed to be used for news of the war). Eventually, George moved away from his family to Vernon where he graduated with a high school diploma.
When Japanese Canadians were finally allowed to return to the west coast, George reunited with his family in Maple Ridge to begin his career with Yoshihara and Sons: a family green housing operation that grew hot house tomatoes, long English cucumbers, and seasonal chrysanthemums.
A pivotal moment in George's life was marrying the love of his life, Reiko Lillian Nishikawa, in Vancouver on March 25, 1960. They would spend the next fifty years together raising their children, Mark and Reva, going on many driving vacations (including one to Graceland!), celebrating with family (nicknamed the "Popsicle Gang" because they stuck together!), building his own house from the ground up (twice!), volunteering for many years at the Nikkei Centre (a haven of close friends!), and retiring young enough to enjoy babysitting his two grandchildren, Brent and Blake (the two jewels in his crown!).
George was a salt-of-the-earth kind of person, who enjoyed socializing with his wonderful friends, cheering for the Canucks every winter and the New York Yankees every summer, watching the Triple Crown horse race every spring, and driving his beloved Cadillac to McDonalds almost every day!
On March 25, 2010, George lost his beautiful wife to a brief illness, and so began the next stage in his life: living independently for over ten more years. In the last three years of his life, after losing his mobility, George relocated to Delta View to be closer to family in Tsawwassen.
George's surviving family, Mark, his son (Mary), Reva, his daughter (Mark), Brent and Blake, his grandsons, and his last surviving sister, Gracie, would like to thank the people at Delta View for their excellent care of George. They would also like to give a special thanks to Julia, Dad's favourite caregiver, for being there to hold George's hand in his final moments.
Upon George's request, there will be no formal service, but in lieu of flowers, George would have appreciated you toasting him with a frosty bottle of Coca-Cola (his favourite drink!) and a smile. We will miss you dearly, George!