Family and friends
This page has been built for Matt's family and friends to connect online. Jenni, Ken and Emi hope to hold a Memorial to celebrate their father's life with his many beloved friends and our families. Details coming, pending Covid19.
Join Memories to request access to contribute your cherished photos, videos, and stories to Masatsugu's memorial with others who loved them.
Join MemoriesEmi Yoshida Father Toshio seeing off son Masatsugu to America
Emi Yoshida Shorewood High School
Emi Yoshida Takamatsu High School Graduation
Emi Yoshida Keio University class of 1963
Emi Yoshida Matt & Betty's Wedding
Emi Yoshida Milwaukee, Wisconsin with the Marshalls
To my Father, We have shared many conversations about various topics and although you would debate this long standing argument between us, I stand by my belief that you shared the following with me at some point. It was a conversation in which you were no doubt trying to steer me in the direction to become a better man. Looking at your hand, yo...
Emi Yoshida Matt Showing the Marshalls Japan
Jenni Yoshida Smith Remembering you today (and every day). This was a photo from our trip to China. One of the many trips you arranged so your kids could see the world. I miss you Dad.
Emi Yoshida Celebrating retirement with WMU hostfamily Marcia Husted in Kalamazoo, MI
Emi Yoshida Marion Bjorkholm celebrating her 85th birthday with all three of her boys: John, Paul, and Matt
Jenni Yoshida Smith Proud Dad.
Emi Yoshida Happy Father-of-the-Bride dancing with Happy Mrs. Bevacqua
Jenni Yoshida Smith He was so happy to become a Grandpa!
Jenni Yoshida Smith Happy times with his granddaughter Olivia.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Dad was so happy with his sisters at Ken's wedding. Surrounded by his ladies.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Ken's wedding.
Emi Yoshida Ken's Wedding
Jenni Yoshida Smith Dad always got right in there playing with his grandkids. Here's with Olivia.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Celebrating Miles' 1st Birthday with Emi's family @ Alisal Ranch. He was always so great with the children- ours and others, he was a caring and fun man.
Emi Yoshida The love in their eyes whenever my kids and my dad looked at each other was overwhelming. In all their pictures together, they just radiate love at each other. They loved every minute with their Jiji.
Emi Yoshida Jiji and Baba in Panama with Nikki & Sasha
Emi Yoshida Happy Seattle Princess-a-palooza memory
Jenni Yoshida Smith
Jenni Yoshida Smith San Diego.
Jenni Yoshida Smith
Jenni Yoshida Smith Miles loved his Grandpa.
Emi Yoshida Grandpa in Disney Land with Jenni, Ken and their families
Jenni Yoshida Smith Grandpa was so happy having his grandchildren all celebrate Christmas with him.
Jenni Yoshida Smith
Jenni Yoshida Smith Fun times in Maui!
Jenni Yoshida Smith Vacations with Grandpa.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Uncle Jim, Aunt Cleo, and Dad in Saratoga, CA
Jenni Yoshida Smith Dad hosted us at the Japanese American National Museum annual event.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Always loved having Dad visit us in Saratoga.
Emi Yoshida Museum visiting, abacus teaching, all-around super fun Jiji in Berlin
Emi Yoshida We have so many pictures like this one, of Jiji with Nikki and Sasha, finding bears together in Berlin Germany
Dennis Bress Matt, you were my soulmate. We had years of playing tennis, participating in your book club, listening as you went through the 100 all time best books, hours at my home and yours discussing life, philosophy, religion, politics, history, literature and our families. No one in my life had the same passion for all these subjects. I so admired and respected you. I will miss our weekly meeting and conversations. We celebrated life together. Sleep well sweet Knight.
Jenni Yoshida Smith
Jenni Yoshida Smith Always loved his visits.
Jenni Yoshida Smith So grateful our Dad had such good friends like Dennis.
Pauline Bjorkholm Uncle Matt was just the best uncle/brother anyone could ever have! Paul, Pauline, Jon, Luke, Tristan, Lorelei, Taj, Jai and Tor.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Fun on the subway with Grandpa in Japan.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Silly Dad. Hakone, Japan.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Christmas 2017, Japan
Teiko Smith Ujiie
Jenni Yoshida Smith Miles and Grandpa fishing.
Emi Yoshida Matt visiting his AFS friend Francois Kropf in Switzerland
Emi Yoshida Proud Grandpa combining his love of France and that of his grandchildren in France's Picardy region
Emi Yoshida Our last photo taken with Jiji, dinner at Trattoria Toscana in Berlin Germany
Emi Yoshida Matt with his Fiancée Tamar in Del Mar, CA
Jenni Yoshida Smith He really enjoyed the new park in Saratoga.
Emi Yoshida Introducing Tamar to Japan
Jenni Yoshida Smith Tamar really stepped up Dad's fashion game.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Celebrating Dad's birthday.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Great visit with Grandpa and to celebrate his birthday.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Showing Grandpa her videos.
Jenni Yoshida Smith Great visit with Grandpa and Tamar.
Emi Yoshida
Emi Yoshida Brothers Paul Bjorkholm and Matt
There seems to be a way that things work out, even when at first glance there is no way to make sense of all this hurt that so many of us share. I believe this is true now and that one day we will all better understand the factors that lead to the “why” in all of this craziness to grasp why one man that we all knew so well chose this path alone.
Emi Yoshida Matt featured in Newport Beach Adult Education French Class curriculum guide
Jenni Yoshida Smith
I will love you forever.
Tristan Luke Lorelei Uncle Matt with Luke
Rest in peace Matt. I am so glad that Rose and I got a chance to see you again in France and spend time with you. You were very kind and generous to us. A great Dad and Grandad. Love and deepest sympathy to all the family. xx
Tristan Luke Lorelei He was a wonderful uncle and great uncle. We will miss him so much.
You’ve gone too fast! Wished we could have had another reunion together with you. Rest In Peace. Makoto Hirayama
Tristan Luke Lorelei Uncle Matt with Tristan
Matt, you were truly my brother. I remember fondly the first days we met when you came as an exchange student to Shorewood High and the huge cultural gap that you bridged so easily. I appreciated it when you moved to Newport Beach but no when you always won the tennis matches. Thanks for being a wonderful uncle to my kids and grandkids. We all...
Matt was a dear friend since his Upjohn days and studies at WMU where I was on the faculty. I visited him in Florida and in Tokyo. We exchanged Facebook and Christmas greetings until this year. Such a friendly and giving person and so nice to be in his company anywhere. Bill McCarty
Your dad came to us as an 18 year old student speaking very little English as an exchange student at WMU. We learned so much from him and he stayed closely in touch with my family, primarily my mom, Marcia Husted, through all of these years. He was a very special, loving friend. May your tears represent the love you will always have for him.
Why?We probably won’t know until our final day and we also transition to eternal life in Heaven. God has a plan for each of us and he has called Matt home. Matt was a fun loving person who lived life to it’s fullest. A world traveler wHo spoke several languages. Matt touched many lives and all who knew him benefited in their lives. I am proud ...
Jen Gurchinoff I am so terribly sorry to hear of your loss. It breaks my heart knowing you're all in pain. It has been many years since I saw your dad, but his kindness and gentleness is remembered. This photo has been in a photo album of mine for over 35yrs. It was sent to my family when I was a little girl and I looked forward to meeting my cousins who lived far away from me.
I was very sorry to hear of your loss. Matt was a dear friend who I worked with, play tennis with, and traveled with in the 1990s. He was very special to me and my family. Your Family is in my thoughts and prayers.
Your Dad was a cool dude! I looked up to him and enjoyed speaking with him. I remember that he like to hang outside smoking his cigar and letting his dog run loose (causing all kinds of havoc with cars) - he didn't care - he would take a drag and tell me how awesome his backyard was (Tree's and lots of land) - the kind of scenery he didn't have i...
Jen Gurchinoff Circa 1979 at the cottage in Waupaca, Wisconsin. Matt and Jenni
Jen Gurchinoff Matt circa 1979 Waupaca, Wisconsin
I am so sad knowing I will never play tennis or share a glass of red with our friend Matt. Or share birthdays— Matt 10/6 my husband David 10/7. For many years we celebrated together. Rest In Peace dear friend. You left this world too soon.
Yoshida-kun, you lived lively and thoghtfully and died young at 79 as the poem is saying: Youth Samuel Ullman Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind ; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter ...
Uncle Jim and I have such wonderful memories of the time we spent with Matt--------the summers at our cottage (he loved that small sailboat), our two visits to Japan, where we spent time with his parents and sisters and toured that wonderful country with him, and visiting him when he moved to California. He was a good friend whom we miss greatly. ...
When I think about you, Uncle Matt, your unique and infectious laughter is the foundation of every memory. From my early childhood and the time our families spent together in Kalamazoo, Milwaukee, Green Bay , Waupaca and Farmington Hills— to the later visits we had together in California and Florida. So many memories! Going sledding and being tr...
I really missed you from the bottom of my heart.
I am so sorry to hear of this unexpected loss. I felt always he was the pillar presence of the family with such a warm personality. Wonderful memories of joyful time together I will never ever forget to appreciate. Teiko Smith
katsuo Hirai Yoshida-san and I visited nearby the museum of “ Hokusai “ art two years ago. He was so fascinated by the arts that he talked loudly “How great Hokusai is !” He came to Japan with Tamara-san last May in 2019. I and my wife took them to Sensouji-Temple,Kaminarimon –Gate,Edo museum at Ryougoku and the Hokusai museum again. After that ,we enjoyed delicious Japanese cuisine at a stylish restrant and shared a wonderful day. He was always active and smiled sweetly. I can’t believe it yet at all that he has suddenly passed away. Shigefumi Isobe Keio Classmate
Matt Yoshida was my brother in law. He met my sister Betty as an exchange student in high school in Shorewood Wisconsin. After returning to Japan, and then returning to the US to attend college, Matt and my sister were married in Japan. Matt was greatly influenced by American values. He worked in sales in the robotics and pharmaceutical industries ...
Will miss you much Matt. Thanks for the WONDERFUL and FANTASTIC memories.
It is a sad day for me, two years since I lost one of my favorite people . I have his photo where I see it every day and remember how we shared so many discussions. Rest in peace noble prince.