Mitch Taguchi

Mitch Hiromichi Taguchi, passed away on June 11, 2015 in Pleasant Grove, UT.     Mitch was born in 1936, the third of four children born to Toshiyuki and Seiko Taguchi in Osaka, Japan.

Mitch was in attendance as missionaries from Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held weekly assemblies at his Buddhist high school. After attending all the assemblies, Mitch regularly attended the LDS Church and was given callings to serve despite his father forbidding him to be baptized.  At the age of 22, he was finally baptized a member of the LDS Church.

After graduating from high school, Mitch became a Customs Inspector, searching ship cargo for contraband.  He would switch shifts with other inspectors in order to have Sundays off to go to church.   He once chased and captured a smuggler and was recognized with a box of candy for his outstanding work.

He met Reiko Doba at an LDS church regional conference when he was 17. For nine years their communication was limited to letters and the annual meeting at the conference. They were married in 1962. In 1965, with their two children, they were sealed when they were part of the first Japanese excursion to the Laie Hawaii LDS Temple.

Mitch dreamed of coming to America to receive further education.  Even though he spoke very little English, Mitch came to America and graduated from Bowman Technical School in Pennsylvania as a Master Watchmaker.   While working his way through the technical school, he decided to abandon his plans to return to Japan and instead desired that his family could join him in pursuing the American Dream.

Mitch was away from his family for nearly four years. With what he was able to save, and the help of LDS Church members in Denver, Colorado, his wife and two small children were eventually able to join him in the states. After living in Colorado for five years, Mitch moved his family to Provo so he could further his education at BYU while working as a watchmaker. It was during this time that Mitch was very proud to become an American citizen. Continuing to advance his knowledge, he became a computer programmer and worked in Los Angeles, then moved to Salem, OR.  Constantly learning and reinventing himself, and as his eyesight worsened, Mitch attended school and became a massage therapist, building a successful massage therapy and reflexology practice. With health failing, he and his wife moved in with his daughter and her family in Pleasant Grove in 2012.

During his life, Mitch was a faithful servant in the LDS Church, serving in positions such as YSA dance instructor, Branch President, High Councilman, and Stake Presidency Counselor.  He was also a dedicated father who sacrificed everything to allow his children to have a better life. He had a life-long love of reading and, despite failing eyesight, would commonly use a magnifying glass and highlighter as he read. To his last day, his bedroom and study were filled, wall-to-wall, with books. Just before his death, he was learning Hebrew.

He is survived by his wife, Reiko, his daughter, Yuu (Kent) Bates and their children Kent (Jessica), Peter, and Kiana, and his son, Tomoo (Rae Anne) and their son, Tanner; and in Japan, 2 brothers Yoshitada (Sachiko) and Kiyoshi (Suzuyo) and 1 sister Yoshiko (Kazuo) Ishida.  He was preceded in death by his parents.

The family wishes to express their deep gratitude to Dr Sean Curzon and his nurse Mari at Central Utah Clinic for their exceptional care and concern. Also to Drs Sumati Gupta, Fuad Shihab, William Lowrence and the wonderful staff at Huntsman Cancer and U of U Hospitals.  The family also wants to thank Dr. Kimberly Davis and Christine Lunt, NP, and the great staff at Rocky Mountain Rehab in Riverton, and the wonderful team at Applegate Home Care and Hospice (Dana Walling RN and Karen Burris CNA) as well as the caring members of the Garden 6 ^th Ward.

Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, June 17 ^th at 10:30am, at the Garden 6 ^th Ward Chapel, 905 North 500 West, Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Viewing will be held at the church the evening before the services on Tuesday, June 16 ^th from 6:30-8pm and prior to the funeral service on Wednesday, June 17 ^th from 9:30-10:15am.  Burial will be at the Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.