The Reverend Nicholas Mineo Iyoya passed away peacefully in Pasadena on May 9, 2016 at the age of 94. Nick (as he preferred to be known) was a widely respected member of the Japanese-American and Presbyterian Church communities, having served as pastor in parishes in Long Beach, New York City, San Francisco, Monterey, Altadena, and Ogden. In addition to his pastoral work, Nick devoted much of his life to serving the broader Christian community as a voice for the ethnic churches at the national and local levels; as head of a community center serving US marines in Japan; and as a mentor to many young, aspiring ministers. He was also a staunch campaigner for civil rights and in the 1960s fought for low income housing in San Francisco, and walked with Martin Luther King in the Selma to Montgomery march. Forced to leave Stanford University with the evacuation of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast, Nick received his B.A. from the University of Denver, and went on to receive his Master of Divinity from the Union Theological Seminary in New York. Nick also studied at the New School for Social Research and the University of Chicago.

A Celebration of Life service for Rev. Iyoya will be held on Friday, June 17, at 2:00 PM at Marwick Place, Monte Vista Grove Homes, 2889 San Pasqual St., Pasadena, 91107.

Rev. Iyoya was preceded in death by his beloved wife Rhoda Akiko Iyoya, daughter Janet Kono Iyoya, and son John Nicholas Iyoya. He is survived by his children Susan (Jeffrey) Lai, Martin (Pam) Iyoya, Calvin (Miki) Iyoya, and Carolyn (Dan) Iyoya Irving; grandchildren, Jared and Anthony Lai, Janelle and Kenny Iyoya, Melissa and Kai Iyoya, Katherine and Benjamin Iyoya Irving; sister Violet Hamada; and loving extended Samura and Nishimura families.