Junso Takata Obituary

TAKATA, Junso George
October 16, 1925 - August 2, 2025
Passed away peacefully at home two months shy of his 100th birthday with family at his side. Survived by his devoted wife of 73 years (Dotty nee Sasaki), sister Marie (Mas Matsui), son David (Johanna), daughter Janet (Charles), grandsons Brendan (Kayla), Dillon (Lisa), William (Chandrika), Keith (Alissa) and Jackson (Cori), and great grandchildren Naya, Anya, Enzo, and Kana with a 4th great granddaughter on the way. Predeceased by beloved son Robert, parents Kensuke and Misuyo, sister Toshie (Tosh), and brothers Toyo (Martha), Kenji (Reiko) and Seiji (Marg).
George was born 100 years ago in the living room of the Takata family homestead in Hiroshima on a trip with his parents who had already settled in Canada. He grew up with his brothers and sisters in a bunkhouse at the Japanese Teahouse and Garden at the Gorge Park in Esquimalt, BC which was operated by his father and Uncle Hayato. He attended Lampson Street School and Esquimalt High School. He was a member of the Esquimalt High soccer team that won the City of Victoria championship in 1942. In that same year, the Takata family like all Japanese families living near the coast was sent to an internment camp in Sandon, BC and the Teahouse and Garden along with their home were destroyed by vandals. Unable to return to Victoria and without restitution from any government body for their losses, the family relocated to Ontario to restart their lives.
In 1951 George graduated with Honours from the University of Toronto with a Masters degree in Mechanical Engineering. He worked as an engineer in St. Catharines where he and Dotty raised a family and would spend the rest of their lives. Later in his career he joined the Technology faculty at Niagara College in Welland from where he retired.
Immediately following his retirement, he designed and built a large sunroom on the back of their house which he called his "retirement present to himself". The floor to ceiling windows provide a panoramic view of the large garden where he happily toiled from dawn to dusk. He was a longtime member of Twenty Valley Golf Club and played regularly into his mid-nineties. He loved working in his large garden, tending the bonsai trees he inherited from his father Kensuke, jazz, reading and the Toronto Blue Jays.
George was very committed to giving back to the community. He was Chairman of the Building Committee and Chairman of the Board that oversaw the construction of Niagara Ina Grafton Village and was officially recognized by the City of St. Catharines, the Province of Ontario and the Federal government for his efforts. He donated generously to numerous charities and was an active volunteer.
With Dotty at his side, they traveled the world including Alaska, Hawaii, most of Europe, Turkey, Egypt, China, SE Asia and Japan. Earlier summers were spent driving the family from coast to coast across Canada and the US towing a camper and later a trailer so his children could learn about and appreciate where they lived.
He was a selfless "hands-on" father and grandfather with a strong set of values and expectations, tempered with generosity and a sense of adventure. In his later years, his greatest source of pride and pleasure was the accomplishments of his five grandsons. As he said on more than one occasion, "I can die in peace because my grandsons have become such fine young men".

In lieu of flowers, donations in George's name can be made by e-transfer to Trillium United Church ([email protected]) or Ina Grafton Gage Home through https://wp1.iggh.org/donate-now/.
Donations to Trillium will benefit a number of worthy causes including Out of the Cold, Creative Spirit and Refugee Support.
A Celebration of Dad's Life will be held on a date to be determined.