February 22, 1938 — July 26, 2024

It is with sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, uncle, brother, and friend David Narumitsu Kuromi. Dave was born in Vancouver, B.C., on February 22, 1938, and left us at age 86 in Kamloops on July 26, 2024. He is survived by his sons Michael (September) Kuromi and Corey (Amanda) Kuromi; grandchildren Savannah, Jade, and River; and brother Tom (Elzbieta). Dave was predeceased by his loving wife Marilyn, his mother Etsuko, father Ryuji, and sisters Kimiye Kuromi, Aiko Johnson, and Mary Miyahara.

Dave’s life was full of twists and turns, which he always approached with class and determination. As a young child in 1942, at the start of World War II, his family was interned at Tashme (Sunshine Valley). After the war, the Kuromi family moved around the interior before settling in Kamloops. Dave graduated from Kamloops Senior Secondary School in 1956, where he was active in trumpeting in a band and competing in track and field.

As a teenager and young man, Dave was a top-level athlete—he excelled at hockey, baseball, curling, golf, and fishing. Some of the highlights from his athletic career include winning the provincial telephone curling bonspiel to represent BC in 1986 and being inducted into the Kamloops Sports Hall of Fame with his 1956-57 Kamloops Mohawks baseball team. He was a great golfer and a member of the Kamloops Golf and Country Club for over 40 years. His sons continue Dave’s love of golf—still trying to surpass the scores of his best years.

BC Tel is where Dave spent most of his adult years—he started there in 1966 and was an employee for 37 years. He was a well-liked leader in the payphone business. In 1970, a young lady named Marilyn also started at BC Tel. Dave and Marilyn were married in 1975 in a grand wedding surrounded by Italian and Japanese families and many friends. Their family home was social, multicultural, and welcoming.

Dave’s life brought some difficult challenges later in adulthood. He endured a brain aneurysm in 1988, beat cancer in 2005, and survived his beloved wife in 2009. He kept his head held high, setting an example of hard work and persistence for all those who knew him. In 2003, Dave officially retired from BC Tel, and his retirement party was attended by many coworkers who admired and befriended Dave.

His grandkids will remember him as Oji and learned to use chopsticks at his dining room table. We will all miss his charming smile and witty humor; however, we have the many lessons and memories that will carry on forever.

• Date : 2024-07-26
• Location : Kamloops