Kit Okamuro, 67, passed away on Monday, June 28, 2021. He was born to the late George and Yoshiko Okamuro on September 6, 1953. He was raised in Rosemead and attended San Gabriel High School and received a scholarship to Cal State Fullerton.
Kit is survived by his wife, Terry Ellis Okamuro and his former spouse, Melissa Davis. Kit has three children with Melissa, Kenny, Matt, and Aimee (Fujishin). Although Kit and Terry never had children together, he helped raise two of Terry’s daughters from a previous marriage – Krystal and Ashley . He is also survived by his brother Kris Okamuro and sister, Kerri and her husband Mike Sandoval, sister-in-law Margie Okamuro, his grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends and family. Kit was preceded in death by his younger brother, Kirk Okamuro, another amazing man.
At his Alma Mater, he was a force to be reckoned with on the football field, winning many accolades for his athletic prowess! Besides being remembered for his football skills, Kit was infamous for his many pranks pulled on his many unsuspecting friends! In his 20’s and early 30’s Kit played on a sponsored Softball team travelling throughout the state winning many tournaments and making lifelong friends.
Kit dreamed of becoming a veterinarian, but he realized while attending college, that this was a difficult goal to reach so he decided to follow his other passion: working on cars. He started his future in the automotive industry while working at his father’s gas station at the age of 13. He was so skilled in his craft that his many friends referred to him as Dr. O. In 1977 Kit married Melissa Egan, the victim of many of his high school pranks. In the 1980’s while working at Midway Ford in Los Angeles, he was thrilled to meet Kate Jackson of “Charlie’s Angels” fame and told all his friends that he was entrusted with working on her Mustang! Kit also started his own health equipment business in the late 80’s and he called it, in typical Kit style, “Tons of Fun.” While their marriage, and the business did not last forever, Kit and Melissa remained close until the day he departed.
In 1994, Kit was offered a job in Barstow, CA . It was at work that he would meet his second wife, Terry and lived happily together in the High Desert for 27 years. However, Kit had health issues that hindered his ability to continue as a mechanic. In 1999, he had his first major heart attack, and in 2001 he had another heart attack and stroke which led to permanent disability. Although the couple of years following this was rough, Kit’s love of life did not faulter. He had to take things at a slower pace, but that did not stop him from enjoying the things he liked to do. He volunteered as Treasurer of the Silver Lakes Little League Board and ran the Concession stand where Kit and Terry lived.
He also loved bowling, fishing, and camping. Going back to bowling after his stroke saved his life. He even volunteered at the Sunset Handicapped Bowling league in Victorville every Tuesday for over 10 years. Later in Kit’s marriage he introduced Terry to fishing and camping which they enjoyed along with their two dogs, Zeus, and Mrs. B until his passing.
A memorial service will be held for Kit on Monday, July 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church located at 1320 Barstow Road, Barstow, CA; reception to follow. In lieu of flowers you may want to make a donation in Kit Okamuro’s name to Rock'n Our Disabilities Foundation, located in Hesperia, Ca. The Foundation provides social, recreational, educational, and mentoring programs for families and individuals with special needs which includes the handicapped bowling league that Kit volunteered for the past 10 years. https://rocknourdisabilitiesfoundation.org/

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