Stanley Nakao, 72-year-old, Los Angeles-born, resident of Redondo Beach passed away on September 5, 2021.  He is survived by his loving family; wife, Susan Nakao; sisters, Grace (Kenneth) Mitsuhata, Nancy Nakao; also survived by many nieces, nephews, and other relatives.

Funeral service was held at Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple with Rimban William Briones officiating.

In the last year of Stan's 72 years, given the diminishing quality of his life due to chronic kidney disease, Stan frequently told his loved ones that he had lived a contented and fulfilled life and had no fear of dying.  Like all of us, there were so many dimensions to Stan and many passions in his life, most importantly his wife Susan.  Stan was a lifelong Los Angeles resident, and graduated from Los Angeles High School (1967), and UCLA (BA 1971; Masters in Social Work 1977).

Stan would probably laugh if he knew that we included in this personal history, the fact that he was a bit of a "bad boy" in his high school years leading to a brief transfer from Los Angeles High School to University High School.  But his own experiences as a rebellious youth likely deepened his empathy when he later became a probation officer and worked for the California Youth Authority and juvenile detention centers in the 1970's.  Not surprising given his bad boy persona that Stan loved motorcycles, starting with a Yamaha and finally when he could afford it, a Harley.  Probably inspired by the 1969 movie "Easy Rider," Stan and two friends decided to take a break in their college studies and completed a road trip on their motorcycles in requisite leather jackets and bandanas from Los Angeles to San Francisco and back.

After receiving his MSW, Stan began work as a Social Worker with Westside Regional Center in 1977 when the Center had only approximately 50 employees.  Stan continued to work at Westside Regional for 32 years as a counselor for children, adolescents and adults with developmental disabilities, assisting in their diagnoses, and helping to plan, access, coordinate and monitor the services and resources supporting them.  Admired and respected by his many colleagues, Stan retired as a Program Manager in 2009.

Stan loved gardening and the outdoors and he and Susan made many, many trips to camp and fish at Mammoth Lakes and in the high Sierras.  He loved the outdoors so much he asked that some of his ashes be carried by the winds across the Sierras landscape which had given him so much pleasure and peace.  But as much as Stan was an avid fisherman and outdoorsman, he totally loved big city life.  Stan loved attending music concerts, shows and theatrical productions with friends, and traveling frequently to Las Vegas and Southern California casinos for light gambling and exciting shows.  For those who didn't know, Stan was also a fabulous dancer and a particularly great disco dancer in the 1980's.

During their years together, Stan and Susan also shared a passion for traveling and cruising the globe, trying to squeeze in 2-3 trips abroad a year after retirement.  They visited every continent except Antarctica and Oceania although they had a trip scheduled to the latter, Australia and New Zealand, when the pandemic interrupted their travels.  Among the most exotic locales Stan and Susan enjoyed were Easter Island, the Galapagos and the Falkland Islands.

A great void is in our hearts missing Stan but we honor the richness of his life and the impact of his life on all of us.  With love.