Takeshi “Gish” Endo passed away on May 23, 2014 at the age
of 97 years young. About 400 family members, floral workers and friends
attended the services at the Oakland Buddhist Church on June 7, 2014. Many
of the Kitayama Family members attended the service as we always considered
Gish and his wife Takako family.
In 1956, Gish opened Gish Endo Wholesale Florist at the San
Francisco Flower Market. He worked until the last “Market Day” before Christmas
in 2010. There were no chairs at Gish’s Wholesale House because in the 54
years, he never sat down. On the last market day he worked, Gish sat on a
bucket and said that he was tired and he never said that before. Gish was
92 when he retired.
Gish always said, “If you don’t have quality, you
don’t have nothing.”
~ Dave Kitayama
