Kenneth N. Kawakami

Kenneth Nobuo Kawakami, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly at home on April 3, 2025. He was born in Honolulu, HI. to Noboru Kawakami and Chiyoko (Clara) Kawakami on March 20, 1943. He got involved with HAM radio in middle school which sparked his interest in electronics. After graduating in 1961 from Honolulu’s McKinley High School he attended Purdue University School of Electrical Engineering for both his BSEE (65) and MSEE (67) and was recruited by Hughes Aircraft in the Los Angeles area upon graduation. He moved north in 1970 to work at Litton Industries in San Carlos as a Research Scientist in Microwave Engineering. He designed microwave components and subsystems for military and commercial markets and later helped grow MicroWaveTechnology (MWT) from a startup. Per a colleague, Ken had a deep knowledge of Microwave Theory and consulted on several technical books in the microwave field. Ken’s knowledge of systems and subsystems was extensive and he is acknowledged as one of the premier experts in the Microwave Field. He was also known for the relationships he formed with co-workers, was never too busy to help young engineers and excelled at teaching. Although he became legally blind in 1998 he continued to work until he retired from Teledyne Microwave Solutions in 2017 doing complex equations in his head. He had a deep interest in Quantum Mechanics. He was a past member of IEEE and Association of Old Crows

A blind date was arranged for Ken on St. Patrick’s Day 1973, with Lana Bromberg, by his technician whose wife had been Lana’s Nursing School roommate. Lana and her two and a half year old son, Ted, had recently moved to San Mateo from L A.. They soon realized that they were meant for each other, married and became a family of three in November, 1973, Their next son, Mark, was born in January,1975. The Kawakami’s moved to Sunnyvale in 1976 when Ken went to work for Avnet. Lana, while working as an RN at Kaiser, joined Sunnyvale Newcomers where they made lifelong friends through Pinochle, Culinary and Camping groups. Their last camping (RV) trip with the group was in January of this year almost 47 years from their first camping outing.

Ken was a great listener and a gentle soul. He was a quiet, somewhat shy man who used his guitar as an entree in social settings. He was accomplished in classical guitar, folk songs and on the electric guitar for ’50’s-’60’s rock and roll music. Our camping group sang many a song accompanied by his guitar around the campfire through the years.

Kenneth is survived by his wife, Lana, son Ted Bromberg, son Mark Kawakami and his wife Silvia Tauber and grandson “Sparty’, his brother Myles and sister-in-law Joyce, his aunt and uncle, Betty and Frank Ward, and a large extended family. In lieu of flowers donations to the Lupus Foundation would be appreciated.

There will be a Celebration of Life on May 3, 11AM at Quinlan Community Center

10185 Stelling Rd. Cupertino Please RSVP to [email protected]