Kaoru 'Bill' Honda's Memorial Service

The memorial service for Kaoru Bill Honda on Thursday offered a study in reinvention.

Some of us referred to him as Kaoru. Maybe 40% referred to him as Bill. And half the crowd of 140 called him “Billy.”

Pastor Anthony Chaboya told us what he knew of the deceased: that he came to church every Sunday wearing a suit and a smile. He was pleasant and quiet. He had retired from the U.S. Postal Service. That was Bill.

Nephew Chris Kawate talked of his uncle in Lompoc as a young man. He coached sports teams, he chaired the Presbyterian Church’s Japanese Society. He wrote to the editor in defense of the Nikkei community after December 7. And he helped form a local chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. “He was a leader,” Chris told us.

Chiyoko Iwamoto Kobayashi talked of Kaoru giving her a chance to make the only basket she ever made on the only basketball team she ever played on, a cherished memory from seventy years ago. That was the Kaoru we knew.

But the biggest group came wearing mismatched polo shirts, some even in shorts. They were all men in their sixties and seventies. They were senior citizen softball players who enjoyed competing with “Billy” on the softball field where he played second base past the age of 90. He was so unflappable at second base that a frustrated opponent once yelled “Honda, why don’t you just stay home!” They all loved “Billy” as only teammates can.

The common thread through Kaoru to Bill to Billy was integrity. He served as leader when needed. He supported others when that was needed. And he and Lucille always walked five miles a day.

Afterward, Chiyoko Iwamoto Kobayashi and her sister Miyoko Iwamoto Tachiki went to visit Kenji Ota at the Santa Barbara Convalescent Hospital.

Not having seen each other for 70 years, the first order of business was for Ota to recognize who was visiting him. After a few tips: “Lompoc,” and “Iwamoto,” Ota asked “which one?” There were five sisters, remember.

When Chiyo replied “Chiyoko,” Ota knew immediately. And his words were just as he said when Vanished was being researched.

“You’re the one at the prom,” he said.

Lucille Honda and the Iwamoto sisters hope to be with us on June 18 at the Japanese American National Museum.

Invitations Continue

Seven months after Vanished was launched, speaking engagements continue to roll in. The latest came today from the Japanese American Museum of San Jose and from the Solvang Rotary.

Thank YOU for all the word-of-mouth publicity. We are very grateful.

Kaoru "Bill" Honda Passes

Kaoru “Bill” Honda, 94, of Santa Barbara, California, died peacefully on Sunday, April 17, after a brief illness.

Mr. Honda was a leader in Lompoc’s pre-World War II Japanese-American community.  He was coach of Lompoc’s championship girls basketball squad and organized many other athletic teams. He was an officer of the local chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League and chaired its inaugural meeting in August of 1941. In December 1941 he wrote to the Lompoc Record to make a "public statement of our faith in, and loyalty to, the United States" on behalf of the Japanese Society of the Presbyterian Church. 

A clerk and bookkeeper at the Iwamoto Store, he took part in the car caravan to Keetley, Utah when the Japanese-American community was ordered away from coastal California in March 1942.

Recently he was a key participant in recapturing the history of the Nikkei community in Lompoc. He is pictured on this website with two of the players from the girls team.

He was born December 8, 1916, in Lompoc, the son of Senmatsu and Sumi Yura Honda, who worked for Burpee Seed Company. He was the oldest of three brothers. He graduated from Lompoc High in 1934. From 1942 to 1959, Bill lived in Utah where he was married to Lucille Kawate in 1954. They relocated to Santa Barbara in 1959. Bill retired from the U.S. Postal Service after 32 years of dedicated service.

He was a very avid walker, bowler and softball player well into his 80s and early 90s. In 1997, Kaoru was inducted into the Japanese American National Bowling Association Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Lucille; sons Clifford of Canoga Park, CA; David and wife Cindy of Vail, CO; Paul and wife Marie of Diamond Bar, CA; and Mark and wife Marian of Bothell, WA; grandchildren Davey, Katy, William, Natalie and Daniel; and many nephews, nieces and good friends.

A memorial service will held at 12:00 pm on Thursday, April 28 at Bethany Congregational Church,

556 North Hope Avenue, Santa Barbara

, CA. Family and friends are welcome with a reception immediately following from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

Donations in Kaoru’s memory may be made to Bethany Congregational Church or a charitable organization of your choice.

Sales Continue to Surprise

April 12: today it’s been six months since Vanished was first announced.

And yet this week, M&S Pharmacy in Los Angeles requested another order of books and so did Sushi Teri Restaurant in Lompoc. This is the sixth order for Sushi Teri and the seventh for Sushi Teri.

And I’ve been invited to speak to the Solvang Rotary.

A most surprising ride. Thank you everybody.

John

Orders Keep Coming

Orders for Vanished keep coming. Last week we received orders from the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation and from the Japanese American Museum of San Jose.