92 years

Seaside, CA

Rei Yoshinobu, an innately decent and upstanding man and resident of the Peninsula since 1946 passed on peacefully on January 31st.

Rei was born in1933 in Torrance, CA, and raised on a strawberry ranch until April, 1942, at which time the family was placed in a Japanese Internment Camp in Arkansas until 1945. When released, the family relocated to Chicago for 1-1/2 years, afterwards moving to the Monterey Peninsula. His father had been in the US Army during this time and became a Japanese instructor at the DLI in 1946.

The family remained on the Monterey Peninsula where the children attended schools in MPUSD. Rei graduated from Monterey High School in 1951. He attended Monterey Peninsula College, then graduated from UC Santa Barbara. He had served inthe US Army for two years. He played football in high school, college, and while in the Army.

Rei began his teaching career in Pacific Grove, teaching at both the middle and high school for four years, then was hired at his alma mater to teach and coach for 27 years. He taught special education, PE, photography, social studies, and driver training. He coached football, wrestling, and started the girls’ volleyball program at Monterey High. After retiring from teaching, Rei enjoyed driving for Hertz and had many friends there.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Toshi, a sister Tomiko Omoto, a brother Seiji, a stepson Klay Fraser, and his ex-wife Cynthia Saxon. Rei is survived by his wife, Bonnie and their son, Kenji, two children from his previous marriage, Lauren (Paul Buskirk) and Aaron (Celeste), and his grandchildren Sierra, Skylar, Nick, Weston, Miles and Galen. He is also survived by two sisters, Etchi and Sumi, and a brother Gary.

Rei had been adevoted and loved member of the Monterey Christian Science Church for many years. At his request, there will be no services held. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Sierra Club or Monterey High School. Funeral arrangements are being made by Paul’s Mortuary where memories and photographs may be freely shared on their website.