Mitsuo "Mike" Minamoto

Mitsuo “Mike” Minamoto was born on March 11, 1926 in Kona, Hawaii.  He was the 5th of 6 children born to Gisaburo and Taka Minamoto.  As a child, his family picked coffee beans for a living on a coffee farm.

Soon after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and was assigned to post war Japan.  While in the military, his fellow soldiers had difficulty pronouncing his name let alone remembering it, so they started calling him “Mike” and the name stuck.

After discharge from the Army Air Corps, he took advantage of the G.I. bill and enrolled at the Milwaukee School of Engineering.  After receiving his diploma in radio and T.V. technology, he reenlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was assigned to Scott AFB in Illinois.  While at Scott, he and his buddy occasionally drove across the Mississippi River to see the big city of St. Louis.  It was there that he met his future wife, Shirley.  Shirley, also a native of Hawaii, was in St. Louis to complete her last six months of nursing school affiliations.  After she graduated, they were married in St. Louis on Nov 5, 1955.

While stationed at Lowry AFB, he took advantage of the Bootstrap programs and enrolled at Colorado State University.  He received his bachelor and Master degrees in education graduating Magna Cum Laude.  He was a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

After retiring from the Air Force, he embarked on his second career, teaching.  He taught at Front Range Community College for 17 years and retired for good in 1990.

Besides his family, his favorite interests were playing pool with his friends at the Aurora Senior Center and wagering on horses and dogs at Havana Park.  In his younger days, he also enjoyed bowling.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, three sisters, and an infant daughter, Theresa.

Besides his wife, he is survived by a son, Michael Minamoto of Westminster, CO, Lisa Minamoto-Rogers (James) of Alpine, WY, and Mary Minamoto-Garcia (Felix) of Parker, CO.  He is also survived by grandchildren Kumiko Diaz (Zachary), Zachary Garcia of Parker, CO, and Donna Abell and Karla Rogers of Sheridan, WY.  Also survived by great grandchildren Zaiden and Kayana Diaz of Parker, CO.

A quiet man of few words but a big heart, he will be greatly missed.