In Memory of Hiromichi Shimoyama(1951 - 2015)

Name: Hiromichi Shimoyama
Spouse: Valerie Shimoyama
Children: Tokuhiro, Karin, Marina
Birth Date: December 14, 1951
Ascension Date: March 27, 2015

Our beloved brother, Hiromichi Shimoyama, ascended to the spirit world on Friday, March 27, after a long battle with cancer. Devoted to God and True Parents, Hiromichi has long been one of the leading historians and archivists of the most precious records from True Parents' travels, events and speeches. He is survived by his wife Valerie, his children Tokuhiro, Karin and Marina, and siblings Yushi and Harue.

Let us support Hiromichi's family during this important and special time and offer our prayers for his victorious transition to a glorious new life in the spiritual world.

Following is a biography and information of the Seonghwa Ceremony from Rev. Kevin Thompson of the Bay Area Family Church.

Sincerely,
Dr. Ki Hoon Kim
Continental Director

Dr. Michael Balcomb
President

Seonghwa Ceremony

On March 31, 2015, the Bay Area Family Church hosted a Seonghwa (ascension) celebration of the life of Hiromichi Shimoyama. It was a high spirited event. The Japanese Choir NADESHKO started the proceedings with beautiful songs, including a Japanese song called “A Thousand Winds”, as well as “Nearer My God To Thee” and “Shalom”. After a message by Pastor Kevin Thompson, deep testimonies were shared by those who worked with Mr. Shimoyama in the past: Shinji Yamamoto, Donna Davis and Nick Buscovich. Hiromichi’s wife, Valerie Shimoyama, also gave a heart moving testimony, and their daughter Karin sang a song to him that also moved the audience deeply. Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, Continental Chair of the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) North America, and Dr. Michael Balcomb, FFWPU President, Ken Owen and relatives all shared messages for Mr. Shimoyama. It was a beautiful sendoff for one who answered the call of God and served faithfully throughout his life.

Photo Gallery

Hiromichi Shimoyama was born on December 14, 1951 in Tsuyama (Okayama prefecture) Japan, to Shingo and Yoshiko Shimoyama. Hiro leaves behind brother Yushi and sister Harue, wife Valerie and children Tokuhiro, Karin and Marina.

Deep in the mountains of Japan, Hiro attended a Christian kindergarten, which was rare for a Japanese. When he saw the image of Jesus on the cross he felt so sad and deeply felt that Jesus was protecting him ever since then.

Hiro graduated from the college of arts at Nippon University in 1972. He had a passion for film and hoped to follow his dreams to be a cinematographer. When he joined the Unification Church on August 1, 1972, he found a new calling to love, and devote his life to God and True Parents. In 1976, he was given the mission to attend and serve God working for New Future Films. He was blessed to Valerie Shimoyama in 1982 at Madison Square Garden. He dedicated 33 years to God, recording and editing most of the major events of True Parents in America, as well as travelling up to 60 countries around the world. In the past ten years, the company was able to digitize 7,000 hours of True Parents film and 11,000 hours of audio speeches onto blue-ray discs. On the side, he worked for a Japanese television show called NHK for 20 years and even had the opportunity to document a part of Yoko Ono’s life after John Lenon passed away.

For many years, Hiro was battling kidney disease, overcame a heart attack, and had a major heart surgery in 2011. Then in 2014, Hiro was diagnosed with cancer of the mouth. Unfortunately, the cancer came back with a vengeance and spread to his lungs. Always positive and optimistic, Hiro continued providing joy, beauty and inspiration through his photos of nature that he took in Gulfport, Florida where he lived for the last four years. He took the journey to be with his family in San Francisco on March 6, 2015 and enjoyed a full week of adventures.

Hiro ascended to the spirit world on March 27, 2015 at 10:00 PM full of love with all of his family at his bedside in San Francisco.