Sho Wakagawa

Dec. 29, 1928 – 
April 25, 2022
 Six days after his wife of 69 years was laid to rest, Sho joined her in their eternal home. One of the kindest men to ever walk this earth passed away at the age of 93. 
 Sho was born Dec. 29, 1928 in Wapato, Wash., to Kumajiro and Yotsue Wakagawa. 
 His early school years were spent in Wapato where after a day in public school, he also attended Japanese school to learn how to speak Japanese and learn Japanese culture. 
 He helped the family with their truck farm where they grew tomatoes and cantaloupes. He put together the wooden crates used to ship the produce, some to the east coast. 
 After WWII started in 1942, the family was interned at Heart Mountain, Wyoming for three years. He was 15 when the war ended and they moved to Weiser where he met his future wife Chi, and finished high school. 
 At the age of 18, he was drafted into the Army. He did his basic training at Fort Lewis, Wash., and then did his automotive maintenance training in Georgia before being assigned to the Heavy Automotive Maintenance 519 company in Germany. After he was discharged, he came back to Weiser and married Chi in 1952. 
 He began farming in the Weiser area raising onions, sugar beets, wheat, sweet corn, and seed crops. He was an excellent farmer and was proud of his straight rows and fields that were kept free of weeds. He took meticulous care of his equipment and when he retired his tractors sold for record auction prices. 
 He also took pride in his vegetable garden and neatly manicured lawn. 
 He enjoyed league bowling and participated in many tournaments. Later years found him at the Rolling Hills Golf Course where he played many a round with the old timers. 
 He was also a big fan of Weiser High School Wolverines and Idaho Vandals. 
 Winters were spent working on his farm equipment and he also enjoyed restoring a 1941 Ford coupe. 
 When they built their new home, he added a large shop and began his love of woodworking. His whole family benefited from his many projects which are now proudly displayed in their homes. 
 Family trips to the Oregon coast were enjoyed by all and always included a big crab feed.
 He was a member of the Church of the Redeemer and the Weiser Japanese Club. 
 Sho is survived by his three children, Wendy (Dennis) Stokes. Leslie (Dave) Stephens and Paul (Jacquie) Wakagawa. Grandchildren Michelle Skow (Kelly Calkins), Amy Skow (Josh Wilding), Jake Stephens (Sarah) and Scott Stephens (Allison). Great-grandchildren, Dylan Sho Holtzclaw, Owen and Madi McCurry, Ana, Brandon, and Cameron Stephens, and Ellie and Charlie Stephens. 
 He was preceded in death by his wife Chi, and brothers James and Ben Wakagawa, and an infant brother Koichi, who died in 1923. 
 The family sends sincere thanks to the staff at Morningstar Memory Care and Keystone Hospice for their wonderful care. They truly loved him and it showed. 
 In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Church of the Redeemer, P.O. Box 344, Weiser, ID 83672; or the Friends of Memorial Hospital c/o S. Young, 1172 Indianhead Road, Weiser, ID 83672. 
 Arrangements are under the direction of Lienkamper-Thomason Funeral Home in Weiser, Idaho.
 

Category:

Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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