Lee Kiyoshi Nakamura

Beloved father, husband, brother, son, and best friend, Lee Kiyoshi Nakamura went to be with the Lord on Wednesday May 4. Lee, the nicest guy everyone who knew him had ever met, was surrounded by his family following a brief and unexpected illness, from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Lee was born on April 15, 1970, entering the world with a laugh as big as his heart, in Santa Monica to Ruchi Nakamura and Katherine Nakamura. Lee grew up in his family’s pharmacy business, an alumnus of Cal State Fullerton, he spent more than three decades working with Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California pharmacy department.

On Oct. 8, 2006, Lee married the love of his life Mary in Buena Park. The couple became parents to Aden Minsu Nakamura, born April 19, 2011, when he entered their lives on June 12, 2012. Soon after Aden joined the family, Lee met the Lord, and his Christian faith was central to his life.

Although Lee loved baseball, golf, BBQ, IPA beer, and playing board and card games with his family, his great joy was being Aden’s father. Lee and Aden were inseparable. He was a coach for several of Aden’s baseball teams from the time young Aden could lift a bat through this season.

The Tustin Western Little League 11- and 12-year-old Dodgers honored Lee and Aden during their final game on May 7, wearing Dodger-Blue t-shirts with NAKAMURA STRONG in bold white letters across their chests. Lee would have been proud of their 9-5 win over the top-ranked Angels, and in spirit, he very well may have influenced the outcome.

Family and friends will always remember Lee for his unwavering kindness toward others, his endless unrequited generosity, his lifelong dedication to family, and his legendary smile and laugh, the hallmark of his personality. Without Lee, the world is now far less bright.

Lee is survived by his wife Mary and son Aden, his mother Katherine and sister Kim. Preceded in death by his father Ruchi. Lee is also survived by his nieces, Katelin, Haley, and Ariyah and nephews, Nathan and Jordan. His brother-in-law Bill Gwak and wife Vivian and sister-in law Chris Gono and husband Edgar, and his parents-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Gwak.

A memorial for Lee will be held on Sat. May 21, 2 p.m., at the Calvary Church of Santa Ana, 1010 N. Tustin Ave., Santa Ana, 92705. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Calvary Church of Santa Ana and/or International Grace Ministries (IGM).