Daniel Yutaka Umeda

Surrounded in love by his family, Daniel “Danny” Umeda left this world in peace to be with God on March 6, 2025 at the age of 85 after a three-week battle with respiratory infections.

A dedicated family man, Danny was married to his wife Pauline for 61 years. At their 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration he said, “Marrying her was the smartest and best thing I ever did.” He is survived by her and their four children, Todd Umeda, Don Umeda (wife Sunshine Umeda), Marc Umeda (Crystalyn Kearns), and Kimberley Fleischer (husband Stephen Fleischer); and five grandchildren, Rafael Umeda (27), Xavier Umeda (21), Savannah Umeda (12), Cole Fleischer (11), and Maddox Fleischer (9).

Danny is also survived by his brother Stan Umeda (wife Christine Umeda), and sister Joy Yee (husband Randy Yee). He is preceded in death by his parents Mike and Lily, and Joy’s twin sister Linda. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Barbara Patillo and brothers-in-law Wayne Carsey Sr. and Joe Gonzales (wife Pam Gonzales).

Daniel was born on October 23, 1939 and grew up on a farm in Florin, California. He was incarcerated with his family at the age of 3 at the Jerome Incarceration Center in Arkansas and Gila River Arizona, and returned to Florin when he was 7. After graduating from Elk Grove High School in 1958, he went to work at the Department of Motor Vehicles and became instant friends with Pauline while they both worked nights. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and on February 22, 1964 was married to Pauline by a justice of the peace in Reno, Nevada before shipping out to serve in Korea. After being honorably discharged from the Army, he returned as a converted Catholic to marry in the church. He resumed work at the DMV and ultimately retired from Franchise Tax’s data security department at the age of 61.

Danny was a father who made many sacrifices. He gave up his own hobbies and left to work before sunrise so that he could be with his family in the afternoon. He was at all of the kids’ games and events. He learned about the things his children were interested in. He modeled patience, dedication and hard work as a father and husband. Danny was a man of routine. Until the very end he read the Sacramento Bee, did the crossword puzzle, completed household chores, and exercised daily – walking around his home in Sacramento’s Pocket/Greenhaven neighborhood.

Danny patiently waited until retirement to rekindle his passions for golf and poker and read many books about both. He shot his age in golf nine times and made a hole-in-one. He enjoyed going to casinos to play poker and once won a tournament. He and Pauline traveled frequently and saw many parts of the world with family and friends. He was a foodie before the term was coined and especially loved sweets. He donated over 30 gallons of his universal blood “for the cookies” he received afterwards.

Danny leaves behind countless extended family members, friends, and fellow parishioners at St. Anthony’s Church on Florin Road and St. Joseph’s Church in Clarksburg. He attended weekly Mass at St. Anthony’s ever since it was built over 50 years ago. He and Pauline hosted family and friends every Christmas Eve and served hundreds of delicious handmade tamales and gallons of pozole. To his relatives, friends, and acquaintances, Danny was a happy, friendly man who always greeted them with a warm smile. As one friend recently wrote, “No one ever had a negative word to say about Danny.”

Services to celebrate Danny’s life will take place at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento, CA 95820. A vigil will be held on Friday, April 4, 2025 at 5pm, followed by praying the Rosary at 6pm. On Saturday, April 5, 2025, the funeral will take place at 1pm, followed by a placement ceremony at 2pm, and a reception from 3-6pm