Obituary of Miles K. Tashima

Miles was born in Hilo, Hawaii on February 21, 1959. Growing up on the island of Hawaii, he attended Hilo Elementary, Hilo Intermediate and Hilo High School. He earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in Molecular Biology at the University of California at Berkeley, and continued his studies at the John A Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii. After graduating from medical school in 1985, Miles interned at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco. He began his urology residency at UCSF and completed it at the University of Minnesota. From there, Miles returned to California and joined Kaiser Permanente's Urology Department in Walnut Creek where he worked for 15 years. In his personal life, Miles met his wife, Karen, while both were students at Cal. They dated as undergrads through graduate schools and medical training, and married in 1987. They have two children, Ryan and Marisa. Of all of Miles' interests and accomplishments, he was most proud of his children. Miles was an avid fly fisherman and outdoorsman. He participated in Boy Scouts, initially as a chaperone, and eventually became an assistant scout master. Over the years, Miles shared his knowledge of first aid, fishing, camping, backpacking and his love of nature with the troop. Through Marisa's sport of synchronized swimming, Miles became her biggest fan. Together with Karen, they travelled nationwide and internationally to watch her compete. Outside of synchro competitions the family enjoyed cruising and taking trips to many places. Although his career and life were cut short by his health, Miles fulfilled his dream by living life to its fullest. He passed away peacefully on June 29, 2015. Miles is survived by his wife Karen, son Ryan and daughter Marisa; his brother Mark and sister, Mikki Chun (Percy), and nephews Michael and Robert Chun. In lieu of gifts or flowers, the family suggests contributions to Make-a-Wish Foundation, American Red Cross or PBS-Sacramento KVIE.