Kristi Yamaguchi with her parents, Jimmie and Carole, in San Francisco in 2005.
FREMONT, Calif. — Dr. Jimmie Yamaguchi passed away peacefully on May 12, surrounded by his family. He was 87.
Born on July 12, 1937 in Gilroy, he grew up in Arroyo Grande following three years of incarceration at the Poston, Ariz. camp. He earned a degree from UC Berkeley and graduated from the UC San Francisco School of Dentistry in 1963. He proudly served in the U.S. Air Force until 1965. For over five decades, his great passion was his family dental practice in Fremont, Alameda County, where he and his staff — his second family — cared for generations of patients.
Beyond his professional achievements, Yamaguchi was an enthusiastic sports fan. He cheered tirelessly for the Golden State Warriors, San Francisco 49ers, San Francisco Giants and, from his alma mater, the California Golden Bears. He also found joy and tranquility on the golf course, where he spent many cherished hours with friends and loved ones. His proudest moment was when daughter Kristi won Olympic gold in women’s figure skating in 1992.
In 2016, the family appeared on the ABC game show “Celebrity Family Feud.” The team consisted of Jimmie, daughter Kristi and her husband Bret Hedican, son Brett, and daughter Lori. They defeated the family of actor/comedian Tommy Davidson and raised $25,000 for Kristi’s Always Dream Foundation.
“A devoted husband, loving father of three, and proud grandfather to seven grandchildren, Jimmie’s life was marked by deep dedication to both his family and community,” his family said in a statement.
“Jimmie’s warmth, humor, and unwavering kindness left an indelible mark on all who knew him. He will be remembered not only for his skilled hands but for his generous heart and playful spirit.
He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carole Yamaguchi; children, Lori Yamaguchi (David), Kristi Yamaguchi (Bret), and Brett Yamaguchi (Michele); grandchildren, Keara, Isiah, Emma, Maia, Jordyn, Ava and Avery; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings.
A private memorial service will be held. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in his memory to asianhealthservices.org (Dental Health Fund) or diabetes.org (American Diabetes Association of Northern California).
Kristi Yamaguchi said in a Facebook post, “Today we remember a very special man. Not just in my life or our families’ lives, but in the lives of his work family and the many generations of his patients as well.
“My dad had many nicknames — Jim, Jimbo, Dr J and most affectionately as Papasan to his beloved grandkids. He was always the anchor rock for our family. Whenever something broke at our house that would need steady dentist’s hands to put back together, our daughters would say, ‘It’s OK, Papasan can fix it.’
“And that phrase was him in a nutshell for me — there to rub my aching legs in the middle of the night when I was little, to give advice on pretty much anything, and to ‘fix’ things that needed fixing. He took care of those he loved. His soul was caring, and selfless. Also joyful, witty and silly. His humor often brought us to tears laughing.
“I will forever miss my hero, my birthday buddy, my dad. I love you.”
Memories and condolences can be shared at: www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/tricityvoice/name/jimmie-yamaguchi-obituary?id=58425807
