Donald Akira Yamada ’50 *53

Don died of pancreatic cancer Nov. 5, 2004, in San Jose, Calif. He was a generous man who lived his life with dignity and honor.

During World War II, Don and his sister were taken from a West Coast relocation camp by the Quakers and he was sent to the George School in Pennsylvania. At Princeton, he roomed with Craig Wallace and Mel Carey, was a member of Court Club, and graduated with honors in electrical engineering.

After earning a master's in Princeton's engineering program in plastics and a short stint as a researcher, he went to California to work for North American Aviation. In 1958, he moved to the Bay Area to work for Lockheed Missiles & Space Co. and spent his career there in aerospace engineering. In retirement, Don enjoyed golf, bridge, poker, and woodworking. His greatest passion was fishing. He took pride in sharing his "catch of the day" and his smoked salmon with others.

We are saddened by Don's death and extend our sympathy to his children, Kathy, Craig, Judy, and Mark; his sister, Janet Araki; and his seven grandchildren.

The Class of 1950