Raymond Itaya

Raymond Itaya of Chatsworth, Calif. died Jan. 24. He was 81.

Born May 7, 1931, he was raised in Stockton, Calif. by father, Harry Itaya, and mother, Florence Itaya, with his five brothers and sisters, Yosh, Mollie, Gladys, Joan, and Richard.

The family was relocated to Rohwer Relocation Center in Arkansas during World War II.

After the War, the family lived briefly in Michigan before returning to their farm in Stockton.

After graduating from U.C. Berkeley, Itaya was called into active service in the U.S. Army Corp. of Engineers during the Korean War. He was awarded the rank of lieutenant, and was transferred to Nikko, Japan. It was there that he met his wife, Miyoko (Marie). They were married in 1955 in Japan. After the war, they moved to the Bay Area where he returned to U.C. Berkeley to receive his master's degree and work at LLNL.

The couple moved to Chatsworth, Calif. and he worked as a structural engineer for the firm of T.Y. Lin, and later founded Conrad Associates in Van Nuys, which he ran successfully as president until his death.

Itaya was an active member of the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple in Pacoima. He served as temple president, was instrumental in the efforts to construct a new temple building, and studied under the tutelage of Reverend Patricia Usuki to become a minister's assistant.

Itaya is survived by his two sons, Roger and Randy; Roger's wife Linda, Roger's sons Jason and Koji; Randy's wife Eve and their daughters Chelsea and Torey; Jason's wife Kristy and their children Gavin and Bailey; Koji's wife Ashley; Linda's sons Chad, Chris and Matt; Chad's wife Melody and their children Emery and Alexander;Chris' wife Jennie and their children Kaylie, Logan and Hunter; and Matthew's wife Tawney.

Funeral services will be held at the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, 9450 Remick Avenue, Pacoima, Calif. on Feb. 16, at 4 p.m.