Sam Saburo Bungo, 96, passed away peacefully on December 17, 2024. Sam was born on July 2, 1928, in Kingsburg, California. When he was 14, he and his family were sent to an internment camp in Hila Bend, Arizona. His family moved to Malta, Montana, where Sam graduated from Malta High School in 1946. Soon after graduation, Sam enlisted into the Army Air Corps, where he was stationed in Hawaii. In 1949, Sam was discharged and returned to California. March 26, 1955, Sam married his wife of 69 years, Peggy Inn. They had a son David, born in 1957 and another son Alan, born in 1960. This same year, Sam began working for Hughes Aircraft Company, where he worked for 33 years, retiring in 1988. The family lived in Gardena, California, before moving to Aurora, Colorado in 1970. Sam and Peggy lived in their house in Aurora for 52 years, until Alan passed away in 2022. They then moved to California to live with David. November 7, Sam and Peggy moved to Fresno, California and began living in the Vintage Gardens assisted living facility.
He is survived by his wife Peggy Bungo and his son David, sister Grace Nakagawa and brother Glenn Bungo.
Sam was preceded in death by father Jitsuji Bungo, mother Mumeyo Bungo and brothers and sisters, Harry Bungo, Mabel Kodama, Doris Kawaguchi, Alice Nakai, Jim Bungo, Esther Sasaki, Hazel Bungo and Mae Bungo.