Stanley Harry Kato

Stan’s last 100+ days (March 25 to July 5) were the most challenging of his life. Stan spent his last days between Kaiser hospitals and Vasona Creek Skilled Nursing Facility in Los Gatos. He was at Kaiser four separate times for treatment of various health issues including a surgery on his spine. Stan fought a courageous battle, but the series of ailments just wore him down and he passed away on July 5, 2020 at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Clara at the age of 69. The saddest thing about his ordeal was that because of the pandemic, he had to go through his illness without family visitation. Our last face-to-face was a window-visit one month into his illness at the front entrance to Vasona Creek. We didn’t know that would be our last time seeing each other except for video visits a couple of times.

Stan was born on October 11, 1950 at the Japanese Hospital in Los Angeles. Stan is survived by sisters, Josie and Shirley; brother, Merv; brother-in-law, Tom Pochylski; and nephew, Alex. He was predeceased by his parents, Bud Mitsuo and Shizuko Kato. Although Stan was born in Los Angeles, he grew up in Winters in Northern CA on the Kato family apricot, peach and almond orchard. The four kids kept each other company on the ranch and rode their bicycles all over the ranch or to our cousins’ homes nearby. Every member of the family had to work cutting apricots and peaches or hauling the boxes of fruit to the cannery or the cutting shed, sacks of almonds to the almond huller. Stan was driving a tractor at an early age. He loved anything with a motor, which was the case later in his life. Stan graduated from Wolfskill Elementary School, a two-room country schoolhouse, and Winters High School. Stan participated in sports and was elected the Mayor for the 1968 Youth Day festivities. After graduation, he attended Sacramento City College and graduated from Cal State Hayward with a degree in business administration.

Over the years, Stan had many jobs supporting technical staff at companies in Silicon Valley and beyond. He had the opportunity for business travel to Japan and other Asian countries and hosted business associates he met along the way. Stan’s last position was as a procurement specialist for Seagate in Scott’s Valley before he was the victim of downsizing.

Stan was a die-hard fan of the Giants, 49ers, and Warriors since childhood. After moving to San Jose, he became an Earthquakes fan. Attending soccer games inspired Stan to coach youth soccer. Stan enjoyed going to the casinos to play slots. He was always on the lookout for new casinos, researched their location and mapped the directions. He would roam all around the casino searching out new and unusual machines. Our last family trip was in mid-January to the newly opened Hard Rock Casino north of Sacramento. Good memories.

Stan enjoyed talking to people! He sat outside in front of his garage and waved or talked to neighbors walking past. He made some good friends who were concerned when Stan was no longer greeting his neighborhood buddies. We will all miss Stan!

Due to the pandemic, a private gravesite memorial service and urn burial was held for immediate family members on August 12, 2020 at Los Gatos Memorial Park in San Jose.