Tomio "Tom" Furuyama, 86-year-old resident of North Hills, passed away on August 1, 2006 at Providence Holy Cross Hospital. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2006, 10 a.m. at the San Fernando Valley Holiness Church, 9610 Haddon Avenue, Pacoima, CA 91331. After serving in the U.S. Army, Tom was honorably discharged in 1946. Tom and his siblings had a flower growing business in the San Fernando Valley for almost 40 years. After he retired in 1982, he enjoyed raising fruits and vegetables in his garden. One of his joys was to share the bounty of his garden with his friends and family members.

He is survived by his dearly loved wife of 59 years, Teruko "Terri" Furuyama; lovingly and fondly remembered by children, Alice Kuroda (David), Dennis (Terry), Steve (Diana), Ron (Nancy Kawahara), Gary and Randy; grandchildren, Mark and John Kuroda, and Jennifer, Sharyn, Jeffrey, Daryl, Dana, Will and Annie Furuyama; sisters-in-law, Yoshiko Furuyama and Jean Okikawa; and in Japan, brother Densaku (Akiko) Furuyama and sisters, Tomiye Furuyama and Mieko Kobayashi. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews and their families both in the United States and Japan.

We will miss his playful sense of humor, his clever puns on Japanese and English phrases, and his hearty laugh and warm smile that greeted us whenever we saw him.