ALLEN SHIGERU HONDA 56 of Pleasanton died Monday, September 8, 2003 at Kaiser Hospital in Walnut Creek. He was a retired principal for Castro Valley Unified School District. His thirty year career started in 1971 as a Social Studies teacher, track and basketball coach at A.B. Morris Junior High School. He then became a Special Education teacher and Education Specialist. In 1977 he became Assistant Principal at Canyon Jr. High School. He then went to Castro Valley High in 1982 as an Assistant Principal. While there the High School became a National Blue Ribbon School. In 1986 he moved to Proctor Elementary School as principal for the next six years. In 1992 he became principal of Canyon Middle School, during which time it became a California Distinguished School. In 1997 he went to Chabot Elementary School as principal until he retired in 2001 because of his many health issues. His passions were golf and traveling. He cared deeply for all of his students and had a way of communicating with them so that they would know how important they were. He was the son of the late Robert and Akiko Honda. He is survived by his loving wife of fourteen months, Judy Honda, brother, Calvin Honda, mother-in-law, Florinda Rushing. Stepchildren, Michael Farinha, Jennifer and John Briley, and Lisa Farinha. Grandchildren, Joseph and Joshua Farinha, and Elizabeth Briley. Brother and sister-in-law, Carl and Marilyn Pretzel and sons. His wonderful family of uncle and aunts, Jack and Toshi Yamashita, Kazuye Mori and Alice Masuda and many wonderful cousins. He had countless loving friends, especially Virginia Layton, Kathy Torrez, Teresa Blunt and Lary and Robin Dilsaver. A memorial of his life will be on Saturday, September 27, 2003, at 3:00 p.m. in the Williams Chapel of the Redwood Chapel Community Church, 19300 Redwood Rd. Castro Valley, Ca. Jess C. Spencer Mortuary, Inc. and Crematory (510) 581-9133.

Alameda Times-Star 9/16/03.