Masaru “Tom” Kanemoto passed away April 12, 2008 after a heroic fight with lung cancer at the age of 90. Born Nov. 5, 1917, Tom was the son of a sharecropper and raised in the Berryessa area of San Jose. When World War II broke out, his family was one of many relocated to internment camps.

It was at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming that he met and fell in love with Toy. She was to the end the greatest thing that ever happened to him and was the LOVE of his life. They married and were fortunate to have 62 wonderful years together until her passing. He carried his love for her until his last moment.

After the war Tom and Toy relocated to several places, ultimately settling in Sacramento. Tom was a gardener and worked into his 80s. He was honored to be a member of the Bocho Doshi Kai, Sacramento Gardeners Association, Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and Japanese American National Museum. He was a hard worker who loved any kind of sport in his leisure time, from shooting hoops with his sons to watching events on TV and then discovering golf. Gambling became an activity he enjoyed and Thunder Valley was the spot he loved best.

Family, though, was always first and foremost in his life. His great love, loyalty and support of family are what will be remembered and held dear by all.

Tom’s most beloved wife, Toy, preceded him in 2006. His children, Larry Kanemoto of Elk Grove, Cathi and her husband Christopher Gates of Kona, Hawaii, and Michael and his wife Diane of Sacramento, survive him. Son of departed parents, Otozo Murashige and Kikuyo Kanemoto, he will be deeply missed by his sisters, Miye Nosaka and Yoshiko Ikegami; brother-in-law, Daniel Kawahara; brother-in-law, Shigenobu, and his wife Beatrice Kato; sister-in-law, Yukiko, and her husband Yoshio Ebisu; and many nieces, nephews and their families. He leaves behind his treasured grandchildren, Lisa, Nicole, Tom and wife Tiffanie, John, Noel Devin and Alissa, as well as great-grandchildren, Desiree and Adam.

A private memorial service was held and the family requests that remembrances be forwarded to the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer’s Association.