Christopher Yamane October 27, 1958 – February 6, 2014

A memorial service to celebrate his life will take place at 1:00P.M. on Sunday, February 16, 2014, at the Buddhist Church of Lodi, 23 N. Stockton St. in Lodi. We are thankful for the exceptional care he received from Stanford Hospital & Clinics. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Buddhist Church of Lodi or The Hospital Partners Program at Stanford.
Please sign the online guestbook at www.cherokeememorial.com.
 Christopher Yamane passed away on February 6, 2014, in Lodi at age of 55 after a courageous two year battle against cancer.
 Chris was born on October 27, 1958 in Gilroy, California to Bennie and Carol Yamane. He attended local schools and earned his degree in Agricultural and Managerial Economics from UC Davis. Following his graduation, Chris worked for many years in the floral and produce business in Salinas and the Central Valley.
 Chris and Kelly had been married for 23 years and for the past 17 years made their home in Lodi. It is here where they raised their two girls and made many great memories. At home Chris wore many hats-Executive Chef, resident spider exterminator, and Giants/49ers fan. His great passions were following Emily and Erica’s scholastic and sporting ambitions, cooking and playing golf. He was a former member of the Woodbridge Golf & Country Club. He loved watching “The Office”, “Blue Bloods”, “Breaking Bad”, and he could be seen watching the Golf Channel and drinking a fresh cup of coffee every Saturday morning.
 Beneath a quiet and reserved exterior, Chris had a wry sense of humor and always enjoyed treating the girls to their favorite indulgences. Pit stops for Starbucks on family road trips, after school runs for Baskin Robbins, and small trinkets from business trips provided for many, many fond memories. His generosity showed in many different ways and enriched the lives of everyone he met.
 Chris was an avid foodie. He always was open to trying new dishes and loved eating out, especially if the meal ended with anything chocolate and his minestrone soup became a Christmas Eve standard that we all looked forward to every holiday season. Always willing to take culinary risks and try new and different foods, he constantly surprised his family with tastes and new ideas. A trip through the grocery store meant a basket full of the freshest and tastiest fruits and veggies of the season. Among his specialties, the girls particularly enjoyed his Mexican food dishes. It is here where he was able to share his love of spicy foods. Everybody will miss his homemade guacamole, salsa, Chile Colorado, Chile Verde, Chile Relleno, and Spanish rice.
 As much as he enjoyed treating his family to great dinners he created, Chris also enjoyed teaching Emily and Erica how to cook. Comfort foods, varying from meatloaf and mashed potatoes, to apple pie were some of the tasty recipes he has passed on.
 He was always supportive of his daughters, and would attend all of their dance recitals, piano recitals, basketball games, and swim meets. He taught them to always try their best and to put their full effort into anything they did. Family was always an important value to him, and he loved spending time with his loved ones. Many fun memories were made during family vacations to Hawaii, day trips to Carmel and San Francisco, and visiting the wharf at Monterey Bay.
 Chris is survived by his wife Kelly, his daughters Emily and Erica – all of Lodi, parents Carol and Bennie Yamane of Gilroy, brother Steve Yamane of San Francisco, sister Sandra Yamane of Los Angeles, mother-in-law and father-in-law Haruko and Sus Onishi, brother-in-law Corey Okazaki (Lisa) and nephew Colton Okazaki – all of Lodi, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. His brother-in-law, John Reardon and father-in-law Hank Okazaki precede him in death.