Gene Kunitomi Tribute

You are invited to a Memorial Service for Gene Kunitomi

In Celebration of his life, his gifts and his very human nature.

Ripeness is what falls away with ease.

Not only the heavy apple, the pear,

but also the dried brown strands of autumn iris from their core.

To let your body love this world that gave itself to your care

in all of its ripeness, with ease, and will take itself from you

in equal ripeness and ease, is also harvest.

And however sharply you are tested -- this sorrow, that great love --

it too will leave on that clean knife.

- Jane Hirshfield

Saturday, September 20, 2008

400 Upper Road, San Rafael, CA 94903

1:15 pm - 1:45 pm (Arrival in Parking Area, see below)

2:00 pm – 3:30 pm (Ceremony)

3:30 pm – 7:00 pm (Celebration, Food, Community)

Please arrive in the parking area by 1:45 pm and

carefully follow the parking instructions below.

The Celebration at 3:30 pm is a POTLUCK event.  If you plan to join us, please bring a gourmet dish (main, side, salad, or dessert) that would serve 5 to 10 people (avoid chips, dips, cheeses, breads, etc.) and also bring the type of beverage you enjoy drinking.    

Please let us know right away whether you plan to join us so we can plan for the event.  RSVP to: Lynda Sheridan at lynda7711@comcast.net

We Need Volunteers!  If you are willing to help out before the event (with set-up), during the event (with food), or after the event (for clean-up), please email Lynda at the address above.  This is a community event, and we need the entire community to make it happen.

Also:  Jan has been saddled with a lot of debt and expenses after Gene’s passing, so there will be a donation basket if you are able to make a financial contribution to help with expenses. Make checks payable to Wakan, Inc.  All donations are gratefully appreciated. (They are technically not tax-deductible.)

Also:  Please visit this wonderful website: http://respectance.com/Gene_Kunitomi -- where you can add your memories and thoughts about Gene.  Upload any photographs you have of Gene, as well -- it’s easy to use.  Thanks to Steve Unger for setting it up.

Directions and Parking Instructions

400 Upper Road, San Rafael

From North of San Rafael: Come south on 101 to the N. San Pedro exit, also called the Civic Center exit.  Turn East (left), underneath the freeway, onto N. San Pedro. Then *]

From San Francisco and South: Drive to Marin via the Golden Gate Bridge, continuing North on 101.  After the Central San Rafael exit, take the next exit, N. San Pedro / Civic Center, and continue East (toward the right) on N. San Pedro. Then *]

From the East Bay: Take the Richmond/San Rafael bridge to Marin, following the signs to 101 North.  The exit after Central San Rafael is N. San Pedro.  Follow N. San Pedro East (toward the right). Then after getting onto N San Pedro (East) from 101:

Drive 2.3 miles (about 7 minutes) toward the East, past the Civic Center and toward China Camp State Park.  You will pass one stop sign near a 7-11. Continue on N.S.P.  After you pass Pt. Gallinas Ave. (on your left), you begin to climb a small hill.  Near the crest of the hill, you will see Upper Road on your left. CONTINUE past Upper Road and take a careful Left into Buck’s, a boat storage area.  Drive forward until you see a long fence leading to a large open space on your right.  Turn right into the dirt parking area and drive as far forward as possible toward the power tower, and park.  Lock your car.  

A shuttle car will pick people up about every ten minutes or so, between 1:15 pm and 1:45 pm. The shuttle will be available to take you back down to your car between 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm.  If you are arriving or leaving at other times, plan on walking about 5 minutes up the hill to 400 Upper Road (or down the hill to the parking area after the event).

Please do not attempt to drive or park on Upper Road (unless you are dropping off passengers who cannot walk).  There is no parking available on Upper Road. Our neighbors get touchy and they tow cars parked on their property.  

Call Lion Goodman at 415-472-6500 or Lynda Sheridan at 415-383-5466 if you have any questions.

We look forward to joining with you in community

to celebrate Gene’s life and times.

Gene was born on March 27, 1942 in Los Angeles to Hide Hirano and Frank Koichi Kunitomi. His full name: Gene Michael Hagime Kunitomi.

Gene was sent to the Manzanar Internment Camp in Death Valley from age 5 weeks to 2years. He was then raised in Chicago. Gene skipped 2 grades and graduated from  Lane Tech an all boys high school of 5,000 in 1958. He later graduated from University of Chicago with a B.S. in bio-chemistry.

Gene came out to San Francisco Bay area with his cousin Linda Ueyhara nad entered a doctoral program at University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. He was "graduate student of the year" and received a post doc to Harvard. At the last minute Gene decided to drop out of academia and join "the summer of love" and learn tai chi and massage.

Gene became a community organizor with the Communist Party in the Fillmore Districed. He worked with an organization called "Sage" where he was part of a program that developed an innovative approach to invigorate the elderly that were institutionalized. Gene was also a river raft guide on the American and the Twulome Rivers.

Gene went on to be come a successful executive recruiter in the high tech industry working with many of the top companies in Silicon Valley. After the "dot com" bust, he regrouped and developed homes in Lake County California.

Gene continued his spiritual search with a Marin based organization called Wakan. In the last year and a half, he was in an active battle with Lymphoma, which finally beat him on July 23, 2008 at UCMedical Center.

Gene is survived by his two sons Mark and Seiji Kunitomi, a step daughter, Sage Distel Mears, his wife Jan Rose Distel Kunitomi, his sister Cynthia Kunitomi, the boys' mother, Judith Beaumont and his dear friend Angie (Xuien) Chen.