Chuzo Okuda

Chuzo Okuda died Dec. 19 after a valiant battle with liver cancer. He was 70.

Okuda was born on March 5, 1948, in Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan. He came to the Wisconsin School for the Deaf in 1966 to learn English and American Sign Language, then headed to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. to get a degree in mathematics.  Okuda didn’t hear any applause when he received his Ph.D. in mathematics at Penn State University’s summer graduation ceremonies at University Park, Pa. He was recognized as the first deaf Japanese student to obtain his Ph.D.

Chuzo taught mathematics and computer science at Gallaudet University for six years before  taking a job as computer programmer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory until his retirement in 2013.

He is survived by his wife Vira C. Okuda and his sister Tomoko Okuda in Mountain View.

At Chuzo’s request, there will be no funeral or memorial service.  In lieu of flowers, please consider sending donations to the Lucky Dog Rescue, P.O. Box 1257, Pleasanton, CA 94566 in his name.