Heidi Kitayama is former Union City Mayor Tom Kitayama's wife. Tom Kitayama had the longest political career of anyone in Union City, spanning 32 years. Aside from being the mayor for so many years, the Kitayamas grew and sold fresh-cut flowers.
Tom and Heidi moved to California in 1947. With three Kitayama brothers, they bought land in Alvarado in 1950 and reared six children and had fourteen grandchildren. Their son Tom Kitayama, Jr. died in 1983 in a hang gliding accident and a daughter, Susan, died in infancy in 1953 due to cirrhosis of the liver.
When Tom retired in 1991 , he and Heidi traveled everywhere together, attended Lion's Club events, kept active in different City events, and stayed in touch with the people of Union City. Tom passed away in 2007.
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