Fumio Okazaki, 80 years old, of Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, CA, passed away for rebirth peacefully on October 16, 2016. Fumio retired as the Head Minister of the Tenrikyo Southern Pacific Church in 2007, after serving in that position for 40 years. He dedicated his life to the Tenrikyo mission, and was a board member of the Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters in America and a board member of the Tenrikyo Honjima Grand Church in Japan. Fumio served in the US Army Signal Corps in Okinawa, Japan for two years, then after coming back to America, he decided to return again to Japan to study Japanese in Tenri, Nara, where he met and later married Kazuko Nagao in 1961. He was a talented interpreter, inventor, and loved making, fixing, and tinkering with any and everything. Fumio's passions included racquetball, bike riding, and traveling. He is survived by his loving wife Kazuko (married 55 years), devoted son Reverend Marlon Okazaki, daughters, Cherie Larice, Jayne Evans, Roxane Okazaki, and Diane Metcalf. Grandchildren include Jazmin, Jaimz, Cort, William, Stephane, Akira, Riki, Kimiko, Rei and Sumire. He is also survived by sisters, Kumiko Koga, Takako Ritchie, and Machiko Kuida, and other relatives living locally, in Japan and in France. His strict yet gentle nature, heartwarming personality, and playful and witty sense of humor will be missed by all.

Memorial service will be held on Sat. Nov. 12, 2016 from 10:30 a.m.
at Tenrikyo Mission Headquarters of America,
2727 E 1st St, Los Angeles, CA 90033