Ryoji Yamakawa
Ryoji Yamakawa, 88, of Simpsonville, husband of Gail Marie Campbell, passed away on Wednesday, February 17, 2021.
Mr. Yamakawa was born in Jinju, Korea on November 2, 1932, and moved back to his homeland when he was 13, settling in Kurume, Japan. He finished school in Kurume and worked at the US Air Force Base in Fukuoka, Japan. He came to the United States in 1954, and for a time worked at Boys Town in Nebraska before joining the US Army, and he became a US citizen in 1955. Following his service in the Army he returned to Nebraska where he attended the University of Nebraska, receiving his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering in June of 1964, while raising a family. He later moved with his family to the Washington, DC area to accept a position with the US Government, Department of the Navy, retiring in 1992 after 30 years of service. He and his wife Gail relocated to Charleston, SC in 1993, and moved to Simpsonville in 2019. Ryoji studied martial arts for most of his adult life and held black belts in Tae Kwon Do karate and Japanese swordsmanship (laido).
Mr. Yamakawa is survived by his wife Gail, sister Shizue (Naoyuki) Yamakawa of Kurume, Japan, and daughter Lisa Yamakawa of Delaware.
He was preceded in death by his son Andre Yamakawa.
He will be laid to rest in Cannon-Byrd Memorial Park in the Whispering Waters Cremation Memorial Garden. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the cancer organization of your choice.
My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and my dear friend Gail and all family members. Ryoji was a good and beautiful person with a quiet demeanor. I fondly remember his great cooking and the time I spent with he and his wife Gail for a short bit in Japan many years ago. Ryoji’s spirit lives on.
Of Ryoji, I recall a kind and gentle person of quiet strength who will always be alive for me in my memories. Farewell, Ryoji.