William Willie Noboru Kimoto , November 05, 1925 — April 18, 2018

William Noboru Kimoto was born November 5, 1925 in Livingston CA, son of and nephew of the Yamato Colony of Livingston. His parents, Jirokichi and Onobu Kimoto and his uncle Sanmatsu Miyahara (born Kimoto). The family bought land in the Cressey Colony and William attended Cressey, a three-teacher elementary school.

He relates the story of how puzzled the police were to find so many cars parked at the elementary school when there were only three teachers. The local children drove cars and tractors by fourth grade, and attended Livingston High School. Willie worked in Ohio, Michigan, Colorado, Utah, backed to Colorado where he was drafted in 1945 into United State Army where he was assigned to the 215 Quartermaster based in Nurnberg, Germany.

He then discharged in 1946. Willie came home to the Cressey farm of grapes. He met and married Grace Yamaguchi and their only son, William Duane was born in 1951.

To supplement their income with chicken and egg production and became a professionally truck driver hauling grapes and peaches for Forest Freeze. He also hauled onion and celery to be dried for Hugo Trucking. He’s a founding member of the Winton VFW 7792 and is still supporting them by being an active member of the Merced County Council Honor Guard.

As a active member of Japanese American Citizen League (JACL), since the late 1940’s and active member of the Livingston United Methodist Church. When age made farming difficult, after leasing the farm, Willie was free to go golfing and bowling, having already traveled to Europe, Japan and China and enjoyed cruises and driving the camper caravans to Canada and Mexico and places in the US and golfing in Hawaii and Arizona and twice a week in Atwater, bowling, tai chi and senior stretch classes he has been busy. He leaves behind his son William Duane, sister-in-law, Pauline and nephew and nieces.

He is preceded in death by his wife Grace, his parents, Jirokichi and Onobu Kimoto and his brother James Tadao Kimoto.

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