Obituary: Toshizumi Gregory Aoki, 82, Of Redding

REDDING, CT — Toshizumi Gregory Aoki, age 82, of Redding, passed away peacefully on March 31, 2020 at Danbury Hospital in Danbury. He died from complications from the novel coronavirus. He was the son of the late Harunosuke and Toyoki Aoki and was the eighth of ten children.

Toshizumi was born in Yokohama, Japan on January 28, 1938. He had a passion for education and athletics but also a fascination with the world outside of Japan. In 1956, when he was 18, he joined a British shipping business and learned the trade starting as an office boy. In 1967, he joined the Norwegian shipping company, Stolt-Nielsen, Inc. in their Tokyo office. While working in Japan, he continued to pursue his dream to work internationally. Eventually, his request to transfer to the company's headquarters in Greenwich was granted.

In 1979, he moved with his family to Redding and embraced the American culture. He was fondly known as "Greg" and he loved introducing his colleagues and friends to various Japanese traditions and foods. Work at Stolt-Nielsen was his life, but he was also an avid reader, golfer, skier and a die-hard Yankee fan. In 1991 Greg and his family became naturalized U.S. Citizens. After his retirement in 2005, he spent his time enjoying his growing family. When he was not spending time with his grandchildren, he divided his time between golf and skiing.

Later on, despite being diagnosed with dementia, he continued to exercise and play golf with the help of his family and friends. In 2016, he started receiving wonderful care and support at a local assisted living facility in their memory care unit.

Greg will be remembered as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, colleague, and friend.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Chiyeko Maria; his three children Toshi and his wife Anh, Rika and her husband Bruce, and Riye and her husband Perry; and seven grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Akio Aoki and his sister Michiko Yoshida along with numerous relatives in Japan.

The memorial service to celebrate his life will be determined at a later date.