By now I’m sure y’all have got the news that my father has passed away. I appreciate all the prayers for us and I assure you that we are all feeling the love here on the left coast.

All the best,

 Masanori Ikeda passed away peacefully on Sunday, February 28, 2021, after a nearly year-long battle with colon cancer. He was 78. Masanori was a kind, gentle, humble, and loving husband, father, and fisherman who lived his life modestly in his woodsy home in Beaverton, Oregon, and out of his beloved Toyota 4Runner of 25 years and 360,000 miles. Born in Japan, he took a great leap in the 1970s as a young man, taking his wife and twin sons to the US, despite much uncertainty and doubt back home. His selfless devotion to his family and profession helped his family realize the American dream, in which his sons went on to have successful careers in science and engineering, while his wife Kazuko was able to become a full-fledged professional in academics — something that was practically unheard of with Japanese women of her generation. He became an American citizen at the age of 76. He taught his twin sons Keita and Ryota many skills - skiing, fishing, golfing, throwing a baseball, writing and reading kanji, driving stick shift - most of which have been passed down to Ryota’s three sons. Life with Masanori was rich with laughter at home and full of adventures in the outdoors in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest, from fishing, river rafting, driving down the Oregon Coast in his 4Runner, and getting swarmed by bees setting up a tent in a dark campground. He shared the outdoors with anyone interested. There were other skills that he honed in his later years, in which he perfected the art of raising plants and flowers indoors and out, and making homemade miso, pickled vegetables, yogurt, natto, smoked meats and fish, and other exotic, mostly fermented (read smelly) foods. In addition to tinkering and gardening and food creation, he enjoyed taking walks with Kazuko and tending to his charcoal grill in his backyard. Masanori leaves behind countless projects lined up for his 4Runner, his backyard, and his plants. But more than anything, he leaves behind memories of his wit, his wry smile, and the warmth that he shared with his family and friends. He is survived by his wife of 51 years Kazuko; his sons Keita and Ryota and Ryota’s wife Barbara; his three grandsons Shintaro, Koki, and Akito; his brothers Hiroyuki and Koji, and his beloved cat Pepe. A memorial service for family members will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to St. Joseph’s School (stjo.org) Please sign the online guest book at www.oregonlive.com/obits