Harold Kanagawa

Harold Kanagawa, M.D., age 79, passed away on Tuesday, April 9, 2019, surrounded by his family at Mercy Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. He was born in Stockton, California on November 9, 1939, to parents Harold "Hajime" and Grace "Yone" Kanagawa. During World War II, when Harold was a young child and his father had a private medical practice in Stockton, the family was relocated along with many aunts, uncles, and cousins to an internment camp in Rohwer, Arkansas built for Japanese-Americans by the U.S. government. At the end of the war, the family was released, moved to Jefferson City, Missouri, and became a part of the local medical community. Harold was a Boy Scout, played clarinet in Marching Jays Band, attended First Presbyterian Church, and graduated from Jefferson City High School in 1957. In 1961, he graduated from Westminster College in Fulton, Missouri, and in 1965, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed his medical residency at Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, then served as a Captain at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas. Upon returning to Missouri, he earned a Fellowship in Cardiology from University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri. In 1971, he joined Internal Medicine Inc. and brought progressive medical advances to Jefferson City including creating an Echocardiology Department and Heart Catheterization Laboratory at St. Mary's Hospital. In 1988, he served as Medical Director of the Heart Center, enabling open heart surgery to be performed in Jefferson City. He served as Chief of Staff at St. Mary's Hospital and Memorial Community Hospital, Medical Director of St. Mary's Hospital Intensive Care Unit, President of the Cole County Medical Society, and President of the Board of Jefferson City Montessori School, a school he helped create and where his children attended. After retirement, he and his wife Sandy built a house in Nixa, Missouri, to be closer to children and grandchildren. There he avidly pursued hobbies including photography, golf, fishing, travel, and playing bridge. After joining the Bridge Club of Springfield, he attained the title of Advanced NABC Master. He served as a volunteer for Springfield Sister Cities Association and Friends of the Garden. Harold and Sandy traveled often with family and friends to visit countries including Japan, China/Hong Kong, Russia, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, England, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Nova Scotia, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico. Every couple of years they traveled to the annual Shima-Inouye Family Reunion, staying in close touch with his California Japanese-American family and heritage. He is survived by his wife, Sandy Kanagawa, daughter Pam RuBert and husband Russ; son, Chris Kanagawa; wife, Kim, and their two children Lily and Niko; daughter, Stacy Kanagawa, husband David Robertson, their three children Nora, Indie, Annie, Annie's husband Kouassi and daughter Fahren; and former wife, Linda Ortmeyer Kanagawa. He was preceded in death by his parents and son Andrew Kanagawa. Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 18, from 4-6 p.m. at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home, 1947 E. Seminole St., Springfield, Mo. Immediately following at 6 p.m. will be a Celebration of Life at which family and friends will speak. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Louis Senior Dog Project, 4620 Meadow, High Ridge, MO 63049; Southwest Missouri Bridge Center, 1675 E. Seminole, Suite F, Springfield, MO 65804; or the Japanese American Community Senior Service Center, Yu-Ai Kai, 588 N. 4th Street, San Jose, CA 95112.