Moss Kishiyama

On December 5, 2012, Moss Masaru Kishiyama, age 91, passed away peacefully in his home in Albuquerque, NM. He was preceded in death by his parents Kyuta and Ito Kishiyama, and elder brother Susumu. Born in Lewisville, Idaho, on September 8, 1921, his early life was spent working on farms in Idaho, California and Colorado. He persisted in his education, earning an Electrical Engineering Degree from the University of Colorado. He worked on many interesting programs as an electrical engineer for the Martin Marietta Company in Colorado and the Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in Sunnyvale, California, retiring in 1987. Moss was married to Dorothy Hatsune Koto for 33 years until her death in 1986. Together they raised four children in Fremont, California. He enjoyed fishing, camping, scuba diving, and working in their backyard garden, and was talented in fixing just about anything with the resources at hand. Moss married Jean Ishikawa Yonemoto in 1988. Moss and Jean met through the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) while working on the Japanese Reparations Act. They have traveled the world together, and enjoyed a large circle of family and friends in the Albuquerque area. Moss was active in Albuquerque's senior community and volunteered many hours with the Gray Gladiators, the Sister City Program, and the Bear Canyon Senior Center. Moss is survived by his wife, Jean, and his sisters Mitsue Inouye and Yasue "Carole" (Katsume "Kenneth") Hoshiko, his children, Jenny, Keith, Kevin and Glenn, and four grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, December 11, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. at FRENCH University, 1111 University Blvd NE. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions by check may be made to the New Mexico JACL c/o Steve Togami, 27 Cedar Ave., Los Lunas, NM 87031. Burial will be planned for a later date in Fremont, California.