Masaru Yamada

Masaru “Mas” Yamada Masaru Yamada of Syracuse, passed away October 28, 2008 at 11:16 p.m. He was born to Shinichi and Suzumi (Imada) Yamada on June 23, 1926 in Syracuse, Utah. He was the youngest of six children. He married Kiyoko Kudo of Tokyo, Japan on January 8, 1955 at the Ogden Buddhist Church. They shared many happy and wonderful times together as well as hard times together. They were blessed with two wonderful daughters, Julie and LoRee and eight grand children. He was a lifetime resident and farmer of Syracuse. Although farming life was not easy, because of the hard work and many challenges, the ability to think for himself made it the love of his life. He was one of the first to buy a mechanical onion harvester, paving the way to offset the labor situation. He was also one of the first to bulk handle onions in tote boxes. He appreciated the services of many farm organizations and felt the need to give back by serving on various boards as director and officer. He was a member of the Davis-Weber Japanese Farmer’s Association, Conservation District West Branch Irrigation Company, Utah State Young Farmers Association and served many years as chairman of Field, Crop, and Vegetables at the Davis County Fair. He also served in the U. S. Army Reserve for five years. Mas was a member of the Buddhist Church of Ogden, serving on the board for many years and also as the blood bank chairman. Prior to joining the Buddhist Church of Ogden, he was a member of the Syracuse Buddhist Church, serving as president at the time of its closing on March 8, 1980. He was formally president of the Buddhist Temple of Utah-Idaho. He was instrumental in writing about the Japanese community in the Syracuse History Book. He and his wife were responsible for the Japanese exhibit at the Syracuse Museum. His biography, “My Life as a Farmer,” is exhibited at the Syracuse Farm and Home Museum. Mas was proud of the many awards and recognitions that he received such as Utah State Farmer of the Year in 1960, Davis County Farm Bureau Distinguished Service Award. In 2005, he was inducted into Utah State Farm Bureau Hall of Fame. In 1988, Mas and Kiyoko were the grand marshals of the Syracuse Heritage Day Parade. Mas always had a joke or two to tell and enjoyed making people laugh. He looked forward to going to Wendover for fun and relaxation. He is survived by his wife, Kiyoko and two daughters, Julie (Paul) Kimura of Parker, Colorado, and LoRee (Wallace) Crandall of Pickerington, Ohio, and eight grandchildren. Also surviving are two brothers; Sadamu of Yokohama, Japan and Ted, of Layton, Utah, and two sisters; Misuko (Shige) Shimada of Salt Lake City, Utah, and Aiko “Ila” (Beb) Okada of Tremonton, Utah. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Tom and three sisters-in-law. Funeral services will be held at the Ogden Buddhist Temple at 155 North Street in Ogden, Utah on Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 2 p.m. Family and friends may call at the temple from 1 to 2 p.m. prior to the service. Funeral Directors Lindquist’s Layton Mortuary, 1867 North Fairfield Road. Interment, Syracuse City Cemetery.