Kenso Kagiyama

Kenso Kagiyama was born on May 28, 1928 in Blanco, California. At the age of 2, he and his 3 older siblings were sent to be raised and educated in Japan. During WWII Kenso underwent fighter pilot training in Japan, but Japan had a shortage of planes and the war ended before he was sent out on any mission.

Kenso returned to the US around 1948 to help on the Kagiyama Farm. He was drafted into the US Army and served from January 1952 through October 1953, including 11 months in Korea where he saw front line action in the artillery unit.

He met Atsuko Komatsu through his sister-in-law, Michiko. Atsuko had sent a photograph to her friend. Kenso happened to see it and asked if it would be okay if he wrote to her. It was. They were married in Japan on January 7, 1958 and were together for 62 years until Atsuko’s death in May 2020.

Kenso farmed in Henderson, growing pickles, cherry peppers, onions, sugar beets, and even one year, popcorn. He stopped farming in 1972 and went to work managing Green Acres Turf Farm until he retired.

He enjoyed fishing, bowling, golfing, Shigin (Japanese poetry recital), karaoke, bonsai, matsutake hunting, gardening, and traveling with his cousins and siblings. He participated in the Shigin Club, Kayo Club, Brighton Japanese American Association, Hiroshima Ken-jin Kai, and was president of the Brighton Buddhist Temple/Sangha for many years.

Kenso is preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Atsuko, daughter Rose, and six brothers and sisters; Takeshi, Yoshio, Fusako, Nancy, Charlie and Roy. He is survived by siblings Tom (Beulah), Michi (Richard), his children, Steve and Donna (Calvin), and grandchildren Cassandra, Sanford, James and Chieko.

Service will be held on August 3, 2022 at 11:30 at the Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple.