Yoichi “Cannon” Kitayama was born to Yosakichi and Kuni Kitayama on November 24, 1928 in Portland, Oregon.  He passed away September 4th, 2019 at his home at Laurel Parc in Bethany, Oregon.

Yoichi grew up in Portland’s Japantown where his parents ran the Royal Palm Hotel on 3rd and Flanders until being sent to the Minidoka Relocation Center during the Second World War.  He graduated from Hunt High School and attended Western Michigan College of Education before enlisting and serving in the Army Occupation Force in Japan.

Upon exiting the Army, he attended and graduated from the Museum Art School in 1954 and began a career in screen printing with Kem Company and Gillespie Decals where he worked until his retirement in 1994.

In 1954, he married Janie Mishiro in Portland, Oregon, where they had two children; Brad and Stuart.  Yoichi was also a dedicated lifetime member of the Portland Bentham Lions club which he joined in 1957.

Yoichi was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Janie. Survivors include two sons and daughter in-laws: Brad and Rachel Kitayama-Moore of Auckland, New Zealand; Stuart and Rebecca Kitayama of Beaverton, Oregon; and grandchildren Kaylee and Annika Kitayama of Beaverton, Oregon.

A private entombment took place at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland.

A Celebration of Life will be held at The Stockpot Restaurant: 8200 SW Scholls Ferry Rd, Beaverton, OR 97007 from 1:00 – 3:00pm on Saturday, September 21st.