John Sakata

John Sakata January 30, 1929 - April 27, 2016 Produce executive John Sakata loved his work, whether it was growing vegetables or developing the perfect turf for the Arizona Diamondbacks Chase Field. Mr. Sakata, an energetic and easy-going man, became a leader in Arizona's farming business that burgeoned after World War II. In 1942 he was interned with other Japanese Americans when war broke out. A diseased kidney kept him in the hospital, so his schooling ended. His kidney was removed three years later when the war was over. His produce career began. Mr. Sakata, 87, of Phoenix, died April 27. A celebration of his life will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 7, 2016 at Heard Steele Museum Auditorium, 2301 N. Central Ave., Phoenix 85004. A luncheon follows at 1:00 p.m. at China Chili, 302 E. Flower St., Phoenix 85012. As Japanese Americans became an integral part of vegetable farming in Arizona after the war, Mr. Sakata worked his way up to managing the mixed vegetables division of J.A. Wood Company, a major grower, packer and shipper of vegetables. His day started around 4:30 a.m. "He headed out to the fields. He would get everything lined up then go to the sales office and ...[more]

View Full Online Obituary and Tributes

packing shed," said his nephew Brian Sakata of Glendale. "He was on the go all the time." His brother was a shrewd businessman, said Elgin Sakata of Glendale. "He never had a formal education but had almost total recall," he said. "He was always two steps ahead of everybody." "He would take care of everyone," said his niece Karen Tominaga of Manhattan Beach, CA. He loaded up his truck with vegetables to share with friends, family, churches, and his favorite restaurants. He would lend money to those in need and spend a fun day with the children in his life. John Sakata was every child's favorite uncle, said Jack "Jake" McManus Jr., of Phoenix, who has known him since childhood. "He was a man who loved life and liked to share that with everyone," Mr. McManus said. "He was just a spirit that is so hard to define because it was so big." "He just got involved in a lot of things," his nephew said. "Any time anybody asked him to do anything he was there to do it." Mr. Sakata's father, Takeo Sakata, was a first generation Japanese American. His mother, Shigeko Sakata known as Evelyn, was second generation. Ever aware of the sacrifice his truck farming parents made to pay his medical bills, Mr. Sakata spent a lifetime helping others. He had a wall full of plaques acknowledging his years of service to professional, charitable and civic organizations. As a sign of respect, Mr. Sakata was called John-san among his Japanese friends; others Americanized it to Johnson. From 1942 to 1945, Mr. Sakata and his family were interned at the Gila River War Relocation Camp. He held no bitterness about the internment, Mr. McManus said. In later years, he became an educational and media resource for information about the internment camp. Mr. Sakata and sports executive Jerry Colangelo have been friends since 1968 when the Phoenix Suns came to town. Mr. Colangelo turned to Mr. Sakata when it was time to find the best natural grass for Chase Field. He relied on his friend's knowledge of the perfect soil and growing conditions for grass to survive the heat and thrive in a stadium with a retractable roof, a first. Phoenix sports owes Mr. Sakata for more than the stadium's natural grass baseball field. He's also tied to the dean of sports mascots, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla. In the 1980s, friends sent an Eastern Onion gorilla singing telegram to Mr. Sakata during a Suns game. The gorilla frolicked around the Coliseum interacting with fans and players. Suns owners liked what they saw and hired the gorilla as the team's mascot, Mr. McManus said. For Mr. Sakata, giving was more important than receiving. When someone tried to reciprocate his generosity, Mr. Sakata would top that with another kindness. Mr. Colangelo finally topped Mr. Sakata when he gave him a World Series ring. "It just floored me," Mr. Sakata said in a newspaper article. "It's the same ring as the players but it doesn't have as many diamonds on it." Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Jeanine Johnston Sakata of Phoenix; a step-daughter, Brenda Dhooge of Surprise; his brother, Elgin Sakata of Glendale; and 14 nieces and nephews. The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the Arizona Humane Society www.azhumane.org.