Longtime school board member, coach, mentor and businessman in the Pajaro Valley Willie Yahiro was remembered by close to 250 people Saturday at the Henry J. Mello Center.
The event included prayer and homily by Rev. Dan Hoffman, scripture read by Brooke Uchida, opening hymn by Masaaki Uchida, history, reflections, a slide show, homily, and words of appreciation.
Though a quiet and solemn tone filled the hall, laughter was a crucial and respectful ingredient of the service as one speaker after another refreshed the crowd that humor and jokes were frequent guideposts for Yahiro.
“I know he would be grateful for your presence here today, said Willie’s brother, Mike. “He would want your every day to be better than today, because that’s the kind of person he was. Willie was a person of honesty, integrity and good humor and the kind of person who would say a heartfelt thank you for your being here today. May his spirit always be with us.”
Long time friend Bill Beecher, who said he met Yahiro when he was a freshman in High school, referred to him as a star coach and friend who found humor in many things.
“He liked making people happy,” Beecher said. “He made life more interesting and fun.”
Pajaro Valley Unified School District Supervisor Murray Shekman told the crowd that it was an honor “to be here on behalf of Willie.”
“He was strong and he kept us looking forward on the Board,” Schekman said.
Yahiro spent nearly three decades as a Pajaro Valley Unified School District trustee, and ran his successful eponymous insurance company for years.
In addition to being a Wildcat from the class of 1959, Yahiro was inducted into the Watsonville High School Hall of Fame in 2000.
He taught at his alma mater for 12 years and coached athletics. He said during his final meeting in 2018 that his mission was to make the community a better place for the youth.
“It’s about the future,” he said. “One of the reasons I like to be around young people is that they are excited about what’s coming up tomorrow.”
