James "Jim" Ken Suzuki, passed on January 19, 2024 in Orange County, California, at the age of 66. Born on March 9,1957 in Pasadena, California to Ryo Uyeno and Henry Suzuki, James grew up in the Los Angeles community of Eagle Rock and later made San Juan Capistrano his home for most of his life.
 

In Eagle Rock, James attended St. Dominic Elementary School and as a Boy Scout, enjoyed camping and backpacking adventures with his childhood friends. He was a 1975 graduate of Daniel Murphy High School in Los Angeles. James then pursued engineering studies at UC Santa Barbara, where he earned his degree in mechanical engineering in 1979.

 

After college, James started his professional career at Endevco, developing sensors used in aircrafts, which was the beginning of a new, exciting technology. He moved to San Juan Capistrano near the Endevco office, riding his bike to and from work in his early days there. Over the years, due to mergers and acquisitions, Endevco became Meggitt, which most recently changed to Parker Meggitt. Somehow James remained through each change, essentially working for the same company for his entire career. He found purpose in his job as an engineer, and could often be found in the production lab, even on weekends, doing what he loved. James made the most of each minute, going so far as to read an engineering magazine during his daily lunchtime walks (without tripping, much to the amazement of his co-workers). He especially enjoyed his fellow co-workers, who in many ways became his extended family too.
 

Through the years James regularly kept in touch with friends of the family and his college roommates, catching up during the holidays. He always remembered family birthdays, including those of siblings, nieces, cousins, aunties, and young grand-nephews, who were the lucky recipients of their uncle's generosity. His quiet but thoughtful gestures, whether sending annual holiday cards, bringing spring and fall holiday treats to the office, or helping maintain family traditions was his way of showing how deeply he cared for and appreciated the people in his life.
 

James left us too soon, bravely facing an aggressive kidney cancer. He is survived by his siblings, John Suzuki, Kathy Suzuki, and Judy Suzuki-Walters and her husband Dave Walters, nieces Amy and Carrie Walters, as well as extended family. A memorial gathering for James will be held in March, and family and friends will be notified.

The family is grateful for the kind thoughts and support received from friends and extended family. Donations in memory of James can be made to the UCSB Mechanical Engineering Department or the Solve ME/CFS Initiative, a non-profit research organization for chronic fatigue syndrome.