Aizo "Buster" Kosai
November 21, 1928 - January 10, 2012
Obituary
Aizo “Buster” Kosai was born on November 21, 1928 in Tacoma, WA, to Gizo and Waki Kosai. Buster was the 3rd of 7 children. His family managed the Berkley Hotel in Tacoma until the evacuation of all those of Japanese ancestry due to Executive Order 9066. The family was first relocated to Pinedale Evacuation Center in California then to Tule Lake, CA and lastly Minidoka, ID. After WWII, the family moved to Ontario, OR and began farming.
Buster attended Central Tacoma Elementary School in Tacoma, WA, McCarver Junior High School in Tacoma, WA, Tule Lake High School in Newell, CA, Hunt High School in Minidoka, ID, Ontario High School in Ontario, OR, and then received his B.S. degree in Business Administration from the University of Oregon. Go Ducks!!
Buster served in the US Air Force from 1951-1953 then began working for the Boeing Company. Buster held various management positions in the estimating and pricing division for military and commercial airplanes. He retired after 36 ½ years on March 1, 1990.
Buster met his wife Yoshie (June) Saito at a church picnic in 1951 and married on July 19, 1952. Buster and June had four children, Glenn, Wes, Donna, and Teresa. Buster was very active at the Seattle Bestuin Buddhist Temple and served in many leadership positions, including Temple President, Vice President and Board of Directors, member of the Wisteria View Housing Corporation, BCA representative, NW District Treasurer, and BCA Director-at-Large. Buster also served as Chairman and Board Member of the Kawabe Memorial Foundation.
Some of Buster’s favorite hobbies/activities were golfing, bowling, listening to big band music, watching Jeopardy, and cheering on his children and grandchildren at their sporting events. He would never pass up a chocolate chip cookie or a maple bar and had a weakness for orange creamcicles and root beer. He enjoyed assisting others and expected nothing in return. He could always find a way to smile and made people feel welcomed with his greeting.
Buster is survived by his wife June; sons Glenn & Wes; daughters, Donna (Steve) Nobuyama, and Teresa (Anthony) Shimizu; grandchildren Kyle & Derrick Shimada, Jordan & Alysa Shimizu; sisters Hatsumi Higa & Reiko Hara; sister-in-laws Fusako, Janet and Kazuko Kosai, and many nieces & nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Gizo & Waki; brothers Yoshio, Masayoshi, Frank, & Joseph; brother-in-laws, Jimmy Higa and Dick Hara, granddaughter Michelle Shimada, and nephews Rick and Frankie Hara.
Buster passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on Tuesday, January 10, 2012 surrounded by his wife and children. The family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Arbor Village and Providence Hospice of Seattle for their excellent and compassionate care and for all of the support from family and friends.
Buster & June: You have a wonderful loving Family! It is amazing how active & compassionate your life has been. We will miss stories of travel, golf, fishing, matsutake hunts, Mariners, Boeing and U of O “Go Ducks”. We are thankful for Arbor Village & Providence Hospice. Love, We miss you!
Mr. Kosai,
You will be remembered as a gentle, kind and gracious man. So dedicated to your family and the church. I will always remember you as the “voice” of Bon Odori and for helping our family when our father passed. Thank you. You were so truly loved by so many and will be missed!
Dear Kosai family,
I hope you will find comfort in Namoamidabutsu. I will always fondly remember Buster for his kindess and support. A truly wonderful man.
Gassho,
Rev. Jay Shinseki