Hall Of Fame Inductees

Haruo Yamashiro *

Haruo was easily recognizable at any CLCA function as he was always the man who walked around with his camera, taking pictures of everyone and everything, almost as if to memorialize CLCA and the efforts of its members.  For that we will be forever grateful to him.  But our gratitude as an Association does not end there…for Haruo’s life, as aided by his wonderful wife Takako, was a life of service to the community, to his fellow man.  Haruo’s legacy can be summed up in one word: Service.  Let me share with you some examples of this great man and his service to all of us:

(1) For many years, Haruo shared his time and talents with his community and his fellow members of CLCA. He gave with open hands and an open heart. He was beloved by his peers for his generous spirit, his many achievements and his unwavering dedication. Haruo was proud to say he never missed a CLCA meeting or a chapter project. He was instrumental in forming the Pacific Coast Chapter, and served as president of the LA/San Gabriel Chapter in addition to distinguishing himself as an Life Member and a Sustaining Member of the association.

 (2) Haruo’s commitment to excellence also shown through in his landscape projects for wherever Haruo touched the earth, it became a more beautiful place.  Haruo was well known for his beautiful and inspired gardens, first winning CLCA’s state-wide award for Special Effects in 1972. He went on to win top honors for his Japanese garden at the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts’ Shin’enkan Pavilion and for the Japanese garden at the Hashimoto Residence. His second Special Effects award came in 1992 for the Star View garden at the Price Residence.

 (3) Haruo’s list of civic contributions is a long one. He won the CLCA Humanitarian awards for the Gardena Buddhist Church garden, the friendship garden at CaliforniaStateUniversity at Dominguez Hills, and the James Irvine Garden in Los Angeles. One Humanitarian Award-winning project especially close to his heart was the Japanese Cultural Institute Patio Garden, which he dedicated to Japanese-American pioneers. For decades, Haruo created the celebrated gardens that served as a centerpiece of Gardena’s Japanese Culture Shows. For these efforts and his genius in creating beautiful things, Haruo will always be remembered.

 For the 10th Anniversary of the Baltimore/Nagoya Port agreement, Haruo supervised the planting of 10 Kwanzan Cherry trees, and it was under his leadership that volunteers of the Gardena Valley Gardener’s Association landscaped the Gardena/Carson YMCA. In 1995, Haruo was inducted into the city of

Gardena Beautification Committee’s first Wall of Fame, an honor befitting this dedicated landscaper’s deep love of beauty and community.

Haruo’s life was one of commitment to excellence and his fellow man.  His was a quiet presence that set the example for all of us in dealing with others and in being a productive part of the community in which we live. Our lives are much richer because of Haruo and his memory lives on in his wonderful wife who stood by his side these many years; in his family who will walk in his footsteps and in his community which is much more beautiful because of the touch of his hand.  There are only a handful of people who come into your world, and touch your life in a dramatic fashion.  Some of the people are just flickers of light during a long life, while others are consistent glows.  Haruo was one who consistently glowed.

On behalf of the CLCA, I thank the Yamashiro family for letting us share your father and your husband for these many years for we are the richer for it.