Noburu “Peanuts” Fukuda, a retired railroad worker, was best remembered for giving peanuts or full-sized candy bars to Pasco children from the seat of his tricycle. His kind spirit lifted generations of Pasco residents. A statue in his image is being planned for Peanuts Park downtown.
Courtesy City of Pasco
Pasco, WA
Nearly four years after the project was announced, the city of Pasco will unveil a life-size bronze statue of Noburo “Peanuts” Fukuda at Peanuts Park in downtown Pasco.
A beloved figure in the community, Fukuda was a retired railroad worker known for handing out candy and salty snacks to children as he rode his tricycle through Pasco.
A sketch from Texas-based sculptor Seth Vandable shows his proposal for a 5-foot-tall bronze statue of Noburu ‘Peanuts’ Fukuda, a Pasco resident who was beloved for handing candy out to children and cleaning downtown streets. Courtesy City of Pasco
The project, led by the Pasco Arts and Culture Commission, aims to help revitalize downtown while honoring a man remembered by generations of local residents.
“The statue will celebrate Fukuda’s legacy of kindness and service, helping future generations learn about one of Pasco’s most beloved local figures,” the city said in a news release.
In 2022, Pasco invested $6.5 million to renovate Peanuts Park, a popular gathering place during events such as Cinco de Mayo, the Fiery Foods Festival and the farmers market.
In recent years the park, located at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Lewis Street, has been transformed from a hotspot for alcohol and drug use and homelessness to the backdrop for community celebrations.
Who was Noburo “Peanuts” Fukuda?
Noburo “Peanuts” Fukuda emigrated from Japan to the United States in 1919 and spent about 48 years working as a janitor and gardener for the Burlington Northern Railroad, according to the Tri-City Herald archives.
In April 1977, while he was still alive, the city renamed the one-acre park “Peanuts Park” in his honor.
His co-workers nicknamed him “Peanuts” because he was “plain nuts,” Fukuda told the Tri-City Herald.
Because of what Fukuda represents to many Tri-Cities residents, the Pasco Arts and Culture Commission issued a call for artists in April 2022. It took the commission about six months to select a sculptor for the project.
Noburu “Peanuts” Fukuda Courtesy City of Pasco
After reviewing nine proposals, the commission announced in March 2023 that Texas-based artist Seth Vandable had been selected to create the statue.
Vandable, a fellow of the National Sculpture Society, has nearly 30 years of experience creating dynamic figurative bronze sculptures and about 20 years installing public art projects in Texas and Colorado, according to his resume.
The city paid Vandable $50,000 for the project. The contract covered materials, fabrication, shipping and installation.
The five-foot sculpture depicts Fukuda riding the three-wheeled bicycle the Pasco Kiwanis Club gave him in 1974, which he used to pick up litter around the park.
One of his hands holds a candy bar, a tribute to the treats he regularly handed out to children and the reason many people also called him the “candy man.”
When to see the statue?
The statue will be mounted on an existing concrete base and sealed to minimize future maintenance.
The unveiling ceremony is open to the public and will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 25.
Pasco will unveil the $50,000 statue they commissioned for Peanuts Park to commemorate Noburo “Peanuts” Fukuda. City of Pasco
Fukuda lived alone in Pasco for more than 70 years in a small apartment on Lewis Street.
In 1989, at age 91, he fell into depression while living at Doll Jonker’s foster home in Burbank. According to Herald archives, he said he feared he would become a forgotten man.
After his story was published, Fukuda received thousands of Christmas cards and gifts from Tri-Cities residents during the holiday season. Nearly 200 people visited him that Christmas.
The beloved Pasco icon later moved to Lyle to live with caretaker Larry Davis. He died at age 95 in May 1993.
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Nicol León is the Latino communities reporter for the Tri-City Herald, covering immigration and the city of Pasco. A bilingual journalist and graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY in New York City, she is committed to helping residents understand how local decisions affect their daily lives. Have a tip or story idea? Get in touch: nicol.leonarge@tricityherald.comNicol León cubre comunidades latinas para el Tri-City Herald, donde cubre inmigración y el Concejo Municipal de Pasco. Periodista bilingüe y graduada de la Escuela de Periodismo Craig Newmark de la Universidad de la Ciudad de Nueva York (CUNY), está comprometida con ayudar a los residentes a comprender cómo las decisiones locales impactan en su vida diaria. Tienes una idea para una historia? Escríbeme a nicol.leonarge@tricityherald.com