<p style="text-indent:0px; line-height:12px;"><span style="font-weight:bold;"> Arroyo Grande, CA-</span><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">By ANUK Staff</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><p>President of Ikeda Bros. and Co-Founder of the Pismo Oceano Vegetable Exchange (POVE), Kazuo “Kaz” Ikeda passed away Feb. 11 at 94 in Arroyo Grande, California.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><img class="small-cropped-image" src="https://cdn.andnowuknow.com/legacySmallCroppedImages/2009_1_3_2.jpg" alt="images022813" /><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Ikeda Bros. one of five grower-member families who remain out of the original 40-plus POVE members grow mixed leaf lettuces, head lettuce, broccoli, celery, green bell peppers, parsley, cilantro, bok choy, and green and red cabbage.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">During WWII Kaz and his family were interned at Gila Relocation Center in Arizona, but because of the generosity of the Loomis Family the Ikedas were able to return to farming on the Central Coast after the war.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Farming was more than just a job to Kaz, it became a family tradition passed down from his father to sons to grandsons continuing on with great-grandsons. Kaz valued family more than anything else.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">His definition of family didn't stop with the Ikedas; it included his extended, farming and community families. Kaz was a proud, honorable man who treated everyone around him with care and respect.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">He has received many honors, including being named Grand Marshal of the Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival, Arroyo Grande's Citizen of the Year, San Luis Obispo County Agriculturalist of the Year, Santa Barbara County Farmer of the Year, Nisei Week Pioneer, and was inducted into the Arroyo Grande Eagle Athletic Foundation Hall of Fame.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Ikeda is survived by his wife Mitzi and four children — Julie Nishioka, Stan Ikeda, Patricia Kawaguchi and Vard Ikeda. Other survivors include 10 grandchildren.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Services were held Feb. 16. Memorial donations can be made to the Arroyo Grande Eagle Athletic Foundation and the Mustang Athletic Fund at Cal Poly University, San Luis Obispo. Ikeda was a baseball enthusiast and former player who became a coach and one of the founders of the Arroyo Grande Babe Ruth League. Several fields nearby are named for him.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">Our condolences go out to the Ikeda family.</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
