Ron Fujikawa was a Los Angeles attorney, which means a lawyer. He was born on April 6, 1948. He was 64 when he died in 2012, according to Stanford Magazine. Some details about him differ from page to page online. This guide shows what the records say and marks what is still unclear.
Ron Fujikawa Quick Facts
| Detail | What the sources show |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ronald Ken Fujikawa (commonly called Ron Fujikawa) |
| Job | Attorney in Los Angeles |
| Born | April 6, 1948 |
| Birthplace | Mount Vernon, Missouri (Legacy obituary) |
| Grew up | Long Beach, California (Legacy obituary) |
| Parents | Alice Mae Aoki and Dr. Yoshihiko Fred Fujikawa (Legacy obituary) |
| Education | Stanford University, class of 1970 in political science, law degree (JD) in 1973 (Stanford Magazine) |
| Age at death | 64 (Stanford Magazine) |
| Date of death | October 12, 2012 (Stanford Magazine) |
| Home | Santa Monica, California |
| Married to | Melissa Linehan, in 1980 |
| Longtime companion | Rebecca Foster (named in his obituary) |
| Sons | Michael, Daniel, and Braden |
| Granddaughter | Rani Rose, born October 2, 2018 (CBS News) |
Ron Fujikawa Timeline
| Year | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Born in Mount Vernon, Missouri | Legacy obituary |
| 1966 | Won the Oliver Award for football at Wilson High School | Japanese American National Museum |
| 1970 | Listed in the Stanford class of 1970, political science | Stanford Magazine |
| 1973 | Earned a law degree (JD) from Stanford | Stanford Magazine |
| 1980 | Married Melissa Linehan | Legacy obituary |
| 1988 or 1998 | Joined Greenberg Glusker as a partner. The sources disagree. | Stanford Magazine, Legacy obituary |
| October 12, 2012 | Died at age 64 | Stanford Magazine |
| October 26, 2012 | Memorial service planned at The Lake Shrine Temple in Pacific Palisades | Legacy obituary |
| October 2, 2018 | Granddaughter Rani Rose was born | CBS News |
Who Was Ron Fujikawa?
Ron Fujikawa worked as a lawyer in Los Angeles. The strongest source is his obituary, which the Los Angeles Times published on October 21, 2012. An obituary is a short notice about a person who has died. This one appears on Legacy.com.
It gives his birth date and lists his education and legal career. It also names his wife and his three sons.
You may see the age 62 on some sites. Stanford Magazine says he was 64 when he died. That matches his April 6, 1948 birth date and a death in 2012.
Ron Fujikawa’s Early Life
Ron was born in Mount Vernon, Missouri. His mother, Alice Mae Aoki, was a pianist and an epicurean, which means a lover of fine food. His father, Dr. Yoshihiko Fred Fujikawa, was a thoracic surgeon. That is a surgeon who works on the chest.
Ron was the third child. He grew up in Long Beach, California, with his brother Denny and his sister Carol.
At Wilson High School, he was student body vice president. He also captained the varsity football and baseball teams. The Japanese American National Museum says he won the Oliver Award in 1966 for his play on the football field. The museum holds a thank-you note he wrote to the award committee from Stanford University.
Ron Fujikawa at Stanford
Ron went to Stanford University. The Legacy obituary says he played on both the varsity football and baseball teams. Stanford Magazine adds that he was a member of Delta Tau Delta.
The magazine lists him in the class of 1970 for political science. It also lists a law degree (JD) from 1973. It says he received a five-year service pin from Stanford Associates.
Ron Fujikawa’s Law Career
After law school, Ron joined Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Los Angeles. Soon after, he and three colleagues started their own firm. The obituary spells its name Kinsella, Bosch, Fujikawa, and Towle. Business news stories spell it “Boesch.”
Later, Ron became a partner at Greenberg Glusker, a Los Angeles law firm. A partner is a lawyer who co-owns the firm. The firm says it began in 1959 with three lawyers.
The year he joined is unclear. Stanford Magazine says 1988. The Legacy obituary says 1998. This article does not pick one.
Variety and the Los Angeles Business Journal add one clue. Both report that Kinsella and other lawyers from Ron’s old firm joined Greenberg Glusker in 2000. Neither story says when Ron himself joined.
Ron Fujikawa’s Life Outside Work
Ron was an avid golfer. Both the Legacy obituary and Stanford Magazine call him a beloved member of the L.A. Country Club. The obituary says he lived most of his adult years in Santa Monica.
He also served on school boards. The Legacy obituary says he was president of the Wildwood School board of trustees. It also says he was a longtime member of the Windward School board. Stanford Magazine says he was president of the Windward School board. The two sources differ, so both are listed here.
Ron Fujikawa’s Family
Ron married Melissa Linehan in 1980, and they had three sons. His obituary also identifies Rebecca Foster as his longtime companion.
The obituary says the sons are Michael, Daniel, and Braden. It is the main source for these names. It also says his mother was Alice Mae Aoki and his father was Dr. Yoshihiko Fred Fujikawa.
The obituary says Ron spent the last ten years of his life with his companion. People names her Rebecca Dyer and says the two never married. This article uses the name from the obituary and notes the difference.
Ron Fujikawa and Danny Fujikawa
Danny Fujikawa is Ron’s son. He is a musician. Danny and actress Kate Hudson named their daughter Rani Rose in honor of Ron. People and CBS News both report this.
CBS News says Rani Rose was born on October 2, 2018. Hudson shared the name on Instagram. She said it sounds like “Ronnie.” She also wrote, “Ron was the most special man who we all miss dearly.”
CBS News adds that Danny is the stepbrother of Erin and Sara Foster, who are friends of Hudson.
Danny’s public life is a different story from his father’s. The records on Ron focus on his law career and his family.
Current Checks: What Is Still Unclear
Some facts are easy to repeat and hard to prove. Here is where each one stands.
| Item | What the sources show |
|---|---|
| Year he joined Greenberg Glusker | Stanford Magazine says 1988. The Legacy obituary says 1998. Neither is stated here as fact. |
| School board he led | The Legacy obituary says Wildwood School. Stanford Magazine says Windward School. |
| Companion’s last name | The Legacy obituary says Foster. People says Dyer. |
| Marriage to his companion | People says they never married. |
| First law firm’s spelling | The obituary says Bosch. Business news stories say Boesch. |
| Cause of death | A 2012 personal tribute says cancer. The other sources reviewed do not confirm it. |
| Net worth | I found no reliable net-worth figure in the sources checked, so this article gives no estimate. |
| Age at death | 64, according to Stanford Magazine. |
Where These Facts Come From
- The Legacy obituary, first published in the Los Angeles Times on October 21, 2012
- Stanford Magazine, obituaries section, March/April 2013 issue
- The Japanese American National Museum record of the Oliver Award note
- CBS News and People reports on Kate Hudson and Danny Fujikawa
- Variety and Los Angeles Business Journal reports on Greenberg Glusker
- The Greenberg Glusker firm’s own news release
This guide did not check State Bar records or court files.
Ron Fujikawa FAQ
Who was Ron Fujikawa?
Ron Fujikawa was a Los Angeles attorney. He was born on April 6, 1948, and died on October 12, 2012. His obituary lists his education, his legal career, his wife, and his three sons.
How old was Ron Fujikawa when he died?
Stanford Magazine says he was 64. Some pages online give 62, but 64 fits his birth date and the 2012 death.
Who was Ron Fujikawa’s wife?
Ron married Melissa Linehan in 1980, and they had three sons. His obituary also identifies Rebecca Foster as his longtime companion.
How many children did Ron Fujikawa have?
He had three sons: Michael, Daniel, and Braden. The Legacy obituary names all three.
Is Danny Fujikawa the son of Ron Fujikawa?
Yes. Danny Fujikawa is Ron’s son. Danny and actress Kate Hudson named their daughter Rani Rose in honor of Ron.
Where did Ron Fujikawa go to college?
He went to Stanford University and played on the varsity football and baseball teams. Stanford Magazine lists him in the class of 1970 for political science, with a law degree (JD) from 1973.
What was Ron Fujikawa’s cause of death?
A 2012 personal tribute says cancer. The other sources reviewed do not confirm this. The cause is reported by that tribute, not settled fact.
What is Ron Fujikawa’s net worth?
I found no reliable net-worth figure in the sources checked, so this article gives no estimate.
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