Charles Yoshida

Charles Yoshida passed away peacefully on November 19, 2020 in Mountain View, California at the age of 96.

A lifelong California native, he was born in 1924 in the Pecho area of Los Osos, along the San Luis Obispo coast. As the second of 12 children, Charles enjoyed a fond childhood of living near the Pacific Ocean. The coastline served as his backyard for clamming and fishing activities, for fun as well as food.

As a teen during WWII, he, his siblings, parents and grandparent endured incarcerated lives in the Tulelake internment camp in northern California. After they were released in 1945, the family never returned to their home on the SLO coast. Several years later they found farm work in Pajaro Valley as strawberry sharecroppers. Charles' parents soon put down new roots to call Watsonville their home for their large family. Working in Watsonville, Charles and Rose Nabeta met and married in 1954, at the Watsonville Buddhist Temple. Both would serve as active church members. Charles frequently volunteered in maintaining the church landscaping.

Their first home was in Las Lomas and they soon started a family. In the early 1960s, Charles began a new occupation as a landscape gardener. He soon moved his young family to nearby La Selva Beach, in order to live closer to his clients' homes in Aptos. For over 30 years, Charles enjoyed a successful solo gardening business, providing landscaping services. His pickup truck, equipped with a large wooden toolbox, was a familiar sight in the residential neighborhoods of Rio del Mar, Seascape and La Selva Beach. He recalled liking nearly everything about his gardening business, except for his clients' pet dogs! In 2007, already retired and in his 80s, Charles and Rose moved to Mountain View, where he remained until his passing.

He is survived by his loving family: his wife of 66 years, Rose and their three daughters: Grace Yoshida (Robert Ting), Susan Wong (Kenway), and Irene Yoshida. He was also a proud grandparent to Kyle and Dylan Ting. Charles also has many siblings, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Charles will be remembered for his love of all things outdoors. He took his family on summer road trips for camping, fishing and visiting family. Close to home, he took time out from work to pursue surf fishing and clamming at Manresa Beach, catching squid and deep sea fishing. His home's large backyard was like a playground for hosting family BBQs. He took pride in tending to his large vegetable garden, apple trees, and flowers, sharing his plentiful harvest with friends. He enjoyed the relaxing company of his good neighbors, drinking wine, socializing in their backyards. He and Rose also enjoyed casino bus trips and some light travel.

Charles lived a long and full life, as a humble and hard-working family man. His friendly and easy-going nature is deeply missed by his large Yoshida family and friends.

Published in The Pajaronian · February 25, 2021