Edward D. "Dyke" Itami

Dyke Itami passed away on August 10th at home due to natural causes at the age of 100 while happily preparing for a fishing trip.  He will be remembered for his kindness, selflessness, intelligence, optimism, resilience, strength and great good humor.  He was born in Seattle, WA on November 23, 1914 to Ryutaro (Basho) and Kura Itami who immigrated to the United States from Japan.

Dyke was a scholar athlete in High School. He was Valedictorian and lettered in four sports.  He was the star player in many of the school and Japanese-American athletic programs in the Seattle area.  He also played city league fast-pitch softball for several years in Nampa and coached a pony league team on which his two eldest sons played, winning the city championship one year.  Later in life, he took up bowling and was a regular at Nampa Bowl participating in various leagues.  His Senior League friends honored him with a 100th birthday celebration at Nampa Bowl last November. He bowled a 150 game in non-league play with them the Wednesday before his passing.  Dyke was a lifelong avid fisherman whose freezer was always filled, his latest salmon caught just two weeks prior.  He shared his catch with friends and neighbors who enjoyed weekly deliveries.

Dyke lived in Washington until 1942 when he and his family were ordered from their home in Fife, WA by the War Relocation Act to Camp Harmony Assembly Center in Puyallup, WA followed by relocation to the Minidoka Relocation Camp in south central Idaho.  During the relocation, Dyke met his soon-to-be bride, June Kikoshima.  They were married on December 18, 1943.  Together they raised eight children—four boys and four girls.

After World War II, Dyke began farming west of Nampa growing a variety of row crops.  He was able to save enough money delivering produce to local grocers to purchase his own 40-acre farm on Orchard Avenue.  He continued to farm until he was 80 years old even after suffering debilitating injuries when run over by his tractor at age 65. 

He was a devoted husband who supported June’s music career and lovingly took care of her in her final years.  June passed away in 2012.  Dyke was also a patriot.  One of his favorite songs was ‘America the Beautiful’ which he sang with gusto.

Dyke frequently and proudly said June’s and his greatest achievements were their children.  He selflessly worked near superhuman hours to provide and care for them.  His gift to us was as a role model on how to live a life with few regrets, overcoming adversity with a forward focus on the silver lining and maintaining his sense of humor.  He is survived by his older brother James Itami, sons Dennis (Kay), Richard (Terry), Ronald and Robert and daughters Judith (Wayne) Crosby, Janine (Chris) Hopkins, Joanne (Tim Craig) Itami and Joyce (Robert) Arima.  He has ten grandchildren John Edward and Jeff Itami (both deceased), Melanie and Jill King, Justin and Mariko Hopkins, Linda June and Paul Craig, and Marc Arima and Katie Laws.  He has one great grandchild, Niaylah King.

The family wishes to thank Laura Ransom and Tanya Felty for their loving care and friendship to our father.

A Celebration of Dyke’s life will be held at 4 PM on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at the Nampa First United Methodist Church, 2717 12th Ave. Rd. A private interment will be at the Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Caldwell at a later date. Services are under the direction of the Nampa Funeral Home – 442-8171.  An online guest book is available at www.nampafuneralhome.com.

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