Daily Sitka Sentinel

Richard Daniel Miyasato

 

Richard Daniel Miyasato

Services for Richard Daniel Miyasato will be held 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Salvation Army.

Richard died April 17 in Sitka, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. He was 56.

He was born July 17, 1960, in Bethel, the second of six children of Katie Charley David and Chester John Miyasato Sr.

The family moved to Sitka in 1962, and Richard attended school here from kindergarten through high school. He attended some college in Oregon, and later lived in Anchorage where he worked as a night auditor at Anchorage Hilton Hotel and in banking with the National Bank of Alaska.

He returned to Sitka in 2010.

Richard had a deep and loving respect for his Tlingit, Yupik and Japanese heritage and culture. A soft-spoken, thoughtful man, he was very organized.

He was passionate about sports. He enjoyed everything to do with sports, especially local high school sports teams, and the Boston Celtics and Red Sox teams.

But foosball was his major sport. Both he and his cousin, Tony Moreno, won state championships, and  represented Alaska in out-of-state tourneys.

Richard’s father, Chester Miyasato Sr., died in December 2005.

He is survived by his mother, Katie Miyasato and siblings Chester Miyasato Jr. and wife Susan; Nick Miyasato Sr. and wife Rachel; Liz Miyasato and partner Ole; Ben Miyasato; and Chuck Miyasato and his son Kenneth, all of Sitka.

Also surviving are aunts and uncles on his mother’s side of the family, Carrie, Sadie, Elmie, George, Nick, Joshua and Oscar; and an aunt on his father’s side, Harriet Beleal.

Many first cousins, nieces and nephews throughout Alaska and the Lower 48 also survive.

Honorary pallbearers are Robert Weddel, Brian Weddel, David Miyasato, Andrew Roberts, Tony Moreno,  George Moreno, Phillip Moreno, Randy Peters, Chris Parker, Michael Miyasato, Nick Miyasato Jr. and Nickayo Miyasato.

The family suggests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to Chuck Miyasato for a trust fund for Richard’s favorite nephew, Kenneth.