Clifford Yamashita was beloved in all aspects of life
By Brett Callwood
Clifford Kunio Yamashita passed away on July 23, at the age of 74. Beloved by his family and friends, Yamashita was also a cherished member of the community who will be remembered by many for his work at the Meiji Pharmacy, which he opened in Gardena on December 12, 1977.
Yamashita was born on February 17th, 1950 in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, and he was raised in Long Beach by his father. He received his professional education at USC, before opening Meiji.
In the family’s obituary, they write that, “Cliff was an exceptional pharmacist, he knew each customer by name and offered a hot cup of coffee, candy, and a seat in his recliners. He consistently gave others his full presence and attention, and no matter how busy he was he would listen to or share a laugh with anyone in need. He showed every person in every encounter genuine kindness and care.”
He was also a loving father, grandfather, cousin, uncle, friend, and employer who loved the mountains, hiking and fishing with family and friends in Mammoth.
Yamashita’s children collectively told the News that he always had time for anyone who needed him, no matter how busy and tired he might’ve been.
“He gave the best advice and was the easiest person to talk to,” they said. “He was the most humble, generous person. He was the king of ‘dad jokes,’ and he taught us to not take life too seriously. He never worried about anything. He wasn’t a religious man but he ‘walked by faith’ more than anyone I know. He was always kind and friendly to everyone he met.”
A keen fan of music, Yamashita had a preference for classic rock, Motown and reggae.
“Everything was always the best in the world,” his children said. “If it was chocolate cake, he liked it was the ‘World’s Best’ chocolate cake. He loved basketball, specifically college basketball. UCLA and Duke were his teams. He loved reading. He would leave us books he thought we should read outside our bedroom doors.”
They said that Yamashita never became angry through the diagnoses of his illness.
“He stayed positive and never gave up fighting,” they said. “His mental and physical strength through everything was truly amazing. He was the most positive person. He had a rough childhood but you would never know it. He had so much integrity and grit. He didn’t have the best example but somehow he was the best dad. Not only to just his kids, he was a father figure to some of our friends growing up too. One close family friend thanked him for showing him ‘the love of a father.’ He was someone you want to make proud. He made us laugh every day, even his last.”
Unsurprisingly, Yamashita was a loving grandfather too.
“His grandkids called him ‘snack daddy’ because he had all the best snacks for them,” the children said. “He was their favorite playmate as toddlers. He would get on all fours and give them horseback rides and jump on the trampoline with them and just be as silly as they wanted him to be. He was the best listener and had a way of always making you feel like everything was going to be just fine. I talked to him about everything and if I was stressed out or worried about something, he would somehow calm me and help me think things through until I had a more positive perspective. Every conversation ended with us laughing.”
“I remember him coming home from the pharmacy with his briefcase and sitting on the stairs to talk to us about our day and watch us run around the house as kids,” said Alex Thatcher, Yamashita’s niece. “No matter how long of a day or rough of a day he had, you would never know because he always had a laid back attitude and positive outlook and smile on his face. He made everyone he met feel welcomed, accepted and opened up his home (aka Yamashita Hotel) to anyone that needed a safe place to stay and hosted the best gatherings. He always had a funny quip or a cheesy dad joke to share and laugh that was so wholesome it made you smile and laugh along with him. He was genuinely the most kind, generous and happy human being I have ever met and I am so grateful and blessed to have partially grown up under his roof. Some people are lucky to have just one father or father figure and male role model in their lives. I had the fortune of two, with him being right across the way.”
His sister-in-law JoAnn Shimizu has fond memories too: “He used to break things in the kitchen like cups, plates or whatever. He would hide it in the very top of the cupboard behind other things and let [his wife] find it if she happens to go up there.”
He is survived by his wife Joyce, his children Nicole, Brandon, and Akemi, and grandchildren Kyan, Leila, and Rylan.
Clifford Yamashita is now laid to rest in Green Hills Memorial in Rancho Palos Verdes.
