Willy Kazuo Suda

Willy Kazuo Suda was born on July 2, 1919, in Fresno, CA. He was the first son of Zenjiro and Akiko Suda. Willy passed away peacefully on Saturday, November 14, 2015, at the age of 96, surrounded by his wife and children in the beautiful home he built.

Willy married Lily Kuwabara in 1949, and during their 66 years of marriage, they had four children; nine grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Willy graduated from University of California, Berkeley, in 1941, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Entomology. He then served in the United States Army during World War II, while his family was interned in Jerome, AR. In 2010, he was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his military service. Following the war, he obtained his Bioanalyst license allowing him to own and direct many clinical laboratories in the Fresno area, which included Fresno, San Joaquin, Selma, Sunnyside and Montecito Clinical Laboratories.

After retiring in 1988, Willy traveled extensively with his wife through Europe, Alaska, China, Japan and Southeast Asia. He loved golf and was a lifetime member of Belmont Country Club. His passions included fishing and tending to his beloved Sago Palm trees. He was a card playing wizard. He was a past president of the Fresno Buddhist Church and member of the Fresno J.A.C.L. Family was most important to him and above all, his cherished wife Lily. His sense of humor, quick wit and passion for life will be dearly missed.

He was preceded in death by siblings, Fumiko Yokoyama, Noboru Suda and Dr. Hiromu Suda.

Willy is survived by his wife Lily; daughter, Kathleen Suda and husband Wayne Cederquist; daughter, Patricia Merrikh and husband Rami; daughter, Laura Sato and husband Kreyne; son, Richard W. Suda, M.D. and wife Jeru; grandchildren, Robert, Keith, Karen, Leah, Brooke, Russell, Kirk, Jarrod and Nolan; great-grandchildren Takeo, Harlem and Makenna; and extended family Tony, Chris, Erynn, Ashkin and Ansel.

Visitation will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Saturday, November 21, 2015, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

A Funeral Service will be held at Fresno Betsuin Family Dharma Center, 2690 E. Alluvial Ave., Fresno, CA 93720, on Sunday, November 22, 2015, at 2:00 p.m.