Passed away peacefully at home in his sleep on January 15, 2019. Iwao was the son of Shikazo Itakura (1871, Japan - 1941, Steveston, BC) and Yae Nagai Itakura (1885, Japan - 1934, Steveston, BC). He was predeceased by Mariko, his wife of 69 years, and is survived by his daughter Kimi Yano (Shoji), his son Alan, grandson Takeshi, and his brothers-in-law Dave, Ben (Sylvia) and Sam (Joanne). Uncle Ed as he was known will also be missed by his many nieces, nephews and their children. Iwao was born and grew up in Steveston where he attended Lord Byng Public School, the Japanese Language School and was an active member of the Steveston Judo Club. After graduation from Richmond High School, he joined his father in salmon fishing. Iwao married Mariko (Kajiura) in 1942 and lived in Steveston for a short time before the evacuation of Japanese Canadians by the Canadian Government from the West Coast to the interior of BC separated them. Iwao was sent to the Griffin Lake road camp and Mariko returned to Haney (now Maple Ridge) to join her parents. A few months later Iwao and Mariko were reunited and sent to the New Denver internment camp where their daughter Kimi was born. The following year, they moved to Kaslo and welcomed their son Alan. When the Canadian Government mandated that Japanese Canadians choose either to go to Japan (even if they were born in Canada) or go East, they chose to move East and ended up in Hamilton. Iwao found work at the International Harvester plant and stayed there for 35 years. In his spare time he took courses in graphic art and Western calligraphy. Upon retirement he purchased a NordicTrack ski machine to keep in shape and followed his creative urges by taking up leather craft design, designing Christmas cards using his calligraphic skills and wood carving (winning first prize for his decorative, floating decoy in the novice category at the CNE in 1989). He was active in the Hamilton Chapter of the NAJC (National Association of Japanese Canadians) during the fight for Redress and worked on the fundraising committee of the Canadian Japanese Cultural Centre. Special thanks to Dr. Doug Oliver and his team at the McMaster Family Practice for their compassionate care and support. Thanks also to Victor, VON palliative care nurse and to PSW, June. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, January 22, 2019 from 11am – 1pm at Bay Gardens Funeral Home, 1010 botanical Drive, Burlington. Funeral Service will be held in the Bay Gardens Funeral Home Chapel immediately following at 1pm on Tuesday, January 22, 2019. Burial to follow at Woodland Cemetery. If desired donations can be made to the Canadian Japanese Cultural Centre, 45 Hempstead Drive, Hamilton, Ontario, L8W 2Y6 or to the Hamilton Japanese United Church, 715 Upper Gage, Hamilton, Ontario L8V 4J9.