KOBORI, YUTAKA, 93, died peacefully February 28, 2019 in San Leandro, California. Private funeral services for Yutaka were conducted Saturday, March 23, 2019 at the Buddhist Church of Oakland. Yutaka, a long-time resident of San Leandro, was born to Kenso and Konami Kobori on May 15, 1925 in Fresno, California. He grew up in Biola and Kerman. He and his parents were sent to Jerome Relocation Center in Arkansas in 1942 where he completed high school. He then moved to Michigan in 1943 to work and was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1944. He served in the Military Intelligence Service in the Philippines and Japan post-World War II. He returned to the U.S. to attend UC Berkeley where he received his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He worked for the Atomic Energy Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission prior to retirement. Yutaka and his wife moved to San Leandro where they raised five children.
Kobori was an active member of the Eden Japanese Community Center and Eden Japanese American Citizens League. He moved to J-Sei Home in 2011 where he enjoyed gardening and socializing with friends. He proudly received the Congressional Gold Medal in 2012 for his MIS duties and the Silver Pin award from the Japanese American Citizens League in 2017.
Kobori was preceded in death by his wife Kimiko Kobori and survived by 5 children and 8 grandchildren. A memorial Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, May 11, 2019 at 3 pm at the Eden Japanese Community Center in San Lorenzo, CA. Please RSVP to yutakakoborimemorial05112019@gmail.com. In lieu of flowers or koden, donations may be directed to the Eden JACL Scholarship Fund.
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