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GAPSN Member, Dennis Akazawa
From InformAsian, GARP (GAPSN) Monthly Newsletter, February 1989
It is with great sadness that GARP announces the death of Dennis Masashi Akazawa who was in many ways the spiritual leader of our organization. Dennis was born on June 1, 1949 in Kauai, Hawaii, the eldest of three children. After graduating from Waimea High School in 1967 he moved to Southern California where he attended Cerritos Junior College and California State University at Los Angeles where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1971. He obtained further training at Arts Center College in Pasadena and worked his way up to become art director of Kenmill Textile Corporation in Los Angeles.
In 1980 Dennis became a founding member of Asian/Pacific Lesbians and Gays. He also participated in the first Sunset Street Junction Fair in Silver Lake where he sold find Japanese art pillow he had created. In 1985 Dennis joined GARP and quickly became an outspoken and involved member, facilitating raps, hosting fundraisers and greeting new members. That year he also joined a UCLA research study that was trying to learn more about the disease AIDS. In 1986 he began work at Mark Fabrics, Inc., Los Angeles as head of the art department.
In November 1987 he was diagnosed as having Kaposi's sarcoma. In the last full year of his life Dennis took a leave of absence from work. He used the time to create designed for a line of greeting cards, decorated cakes and made floral arrangements for friends, had a booth at the Sunset Street Junction Fair, attended the annual gay square dance convention in Phoenix, Arizona, and persuaded members of GARP to march in the West Hollywood Lesbian and Gay Freedom Day Parade. In October 1988 Dennis made one last appearance at GARP's first annual Halloween Party. He became ill the next day and was hospitalized. On December 28 he returned home and died peacefully there on January 12, 1989.
On Saturday, January 14, 1989 over 300 people including 30 GARP members past and present gathered at the Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple in Los Angeles to pay their last respects to a man who had made all of our lives more cheerful and open. After the congregation individually offered incense and paid their respects to the family, Dennis was remembered by several speakers including S Lew and Marlin Criddle, Dennis' long-time roommate and friend. Subsequently there was a post-ceremony gathering at Ross Hirabayashi and Leo Joslin's home. Over 30 people attended, offered a toast to Dennis, and shared memories of a beloved friend and respected leader. Life will not be the same without him.
