Kimihiro Sera, 86, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 17, 2023, surrounded by his wife of 58 years and his three children. A loving husband, dad, grandpa, and friend, Kimihiro was born in Hiroshima, Japan on July 27, 1937, to Torao and Mitsuno Sera.

“Growing up was not easy. When he was four, his father passed away, leaving his mother to raise him and his brother, Tsugio, in Jigozen during World War II. When he was eight, he witnessed the mushroom cloud from the atomic bomb that ended the war,” states his obituary at legacy.com.

Kimihiro arrived in the U.S. at the age of 19. Living in the Central Valley, he worked in the field and for a local family while taking English classes at Edison High School. After completing his general education at Fresno City College, he graduated from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, in 1964 with a degree in Architectural Engineering.

On June 5, 1965, he married Hitomi, and they built their life together in Fowler with their children, Yumi, Clifford, and Emily. In 1971, he co-founded Structcon. He became president of Structcon in 1987 and continued in that capacity until his passing.

During his career, he was responsible for the structural design of such notable projects as Fresno City Hall, Fresno Heart Hospital, the Selland Arena expansion, and Fresno State’s Bulldog (now Valley Children’s) Stadium.

In his final days, however, it was not his professional accomplishments that he was most proud of, but rather his family and friendships. A memorial service will be held later in the year. Donations may be made to Fowler Buddhist Church or your favorite charity.