Necrology
Aoki, Dodson Yoshio, 55, Bellflower, Oct. 20; Vietnam War veteran.
Asai, Woodrow, New York, Dec. 31; New York JACLer; WWII veteran, Army.
Bautista, Gary, 54, Las Vegas, Jan. 28; member of Hawaiian musical comedy troupe
Society of Seven.
Do, Yen Ngoc, 65, Fountain Valley, Aug. 17; founded the first and largest Vietnamese language newspaper in the United States.
Doi, Wesley Toshihiko, 69, San Rafael, Nov. 23; U.S. Army.
Doria, Staff Sgt. Richwell A., Honolulu, Nov. 7; killed in Iraq.
Embrey, Sue Kunitomi, 83, chair emeritus of the Manzanar Committee and is credited with getting Manzanar a national historic site designation.
Fujimoto, Mitsusuke, 88, Los Angeles, Oct. 22; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT.
Fukai, Mas, 79, Gardena, Mar. 5; former Gardena City Councilman for 28 years; praised by many as a leader on youth issues and issues affecting JAs; joined the U.S. Army while in Gila River internment camp.
Fukai, Yasuo “Ace,” 84, Louisville, Colo., Dec. 3; WWII veteran, MIS.
Fukutomi, Eric Sadao, 56, June 21; Vietnam War veteran.
Funatake, George, 79, Buena Park; WWII veteran.
Furuto, Minoru, 84, June 13; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT E Company.
Hara, Saburo, 91, Costa Mesa, Oct. 23; WWII veteran.
Harada, Genzo, 84, Los Angeles, Jan. 30; MIS Korean Conflict veteran.
Harada, Henry Chikashi, 79, Monterey Park, Feb. 22; WWII veteran, MIS.
Hayashi, Hon. Yoshimi, 83, Honolulu, April 23; WWII veteran, MIS; first JA named to the position of U.S. attorney by President Johnson in 1968, named the first chief judge of the state Intermediate Court of Appeals and the only person who had served on the bench at all four levels of state courts.
Hayashi, Masumi, 60, Cleveland, Ohio, Aug. 17; renowned photographic artist who focused her work on internment camps and a longtime professor of photography at Cleveland State University.
Higashi, Harry Hide, 82, Salinas, July 15; WWII Veteran, 442nd RTC.
Hirata, Sammie O., 81, Spokane, Wash., Dec. 8; U.S. Army.
Iguchi, Harry, 85, Dec. 16; WWII veteran, MIS.
Iijima, Chris, 57, Honolulu, Dec. 31; Univ. of Hawaii law professor, once toured the country with the Yellow Pearl trio singing about Asian American identity.
Inouye, Margaret, 81, Honolulu, Mar. 13; wife of U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye.
Inouye, Susumu, 82, Aug. 18; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT.
Inouye, Tommy Yoshio, 74, Las Vegas, April 23; Korean War veteran.
Ishimoto, Norman Masao, 78, Los Altos, Feb. 1; U.S. Navy.
Isozaki, Kiyoshi “Rub,” 82, Manteca, Sept. 18; WWII veteran, 442nd medic.
Iwanabe, Kunio Ted, Dec. 14; WWII veteran, 442nd Infantry.
Kadomoto, Thomas, 88, Glendale, Ariz., Mar. 28; WWII veteran, MIS.
Kahalewai Jr, Staff Sgt. Henry, 44, Honolulu, Dec. 15; died from injuries sustained in Iraq.
Kai, James, WWII veteran, MIS.
Kawaguchi, Tad, 74, Torrance; Korean Conflict veteran.
Kawahara, Yukio, 90, Timonium, Md., May 26; broadcaster for the Office of War Information during WWII.
Kawaminami, Jim, 84, Sept. 18; WWII veteran, 442nd I Co.
Kawamura, Yukio, M.D., El Cerrito, Jan. 17; WWII veteran, MIS.
Koda, Edward Keiji, Dos Palos, July 3; son of the “Rice King”; after WWII helped the Koda family refocus on rebuilding their rice farming operations and became the first to introduce mochigome (sweet rice).
Kodama, Dr. Richard Yukio, 81, Hacienda Heights, July 24; WWII Veteran, MIS.
Koyama, Spady A., 88, Spokane, Wash., Mar. 18; World War II veteran who also served in the Korean and Vietnam wars before retiring as an Army Colonel. He earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart during WWII.
Kubo, Harry, 84, Parlier, Dec. 8; founded the Nisei Farmers League in 1971 and was a passionate defender of private property rights during battles with the United Farm Workers union. Kubo became familiar to many California voters during the 1876 campaign to defeat Prop. 14, a UFW-backed measure that would have strengthened the union’s organizing ability. He is survived by his second wife, Mary; five children and nine grandchildren.
Kubota, Alfred Morinobu, 80, Austin, Tex., Aug. 13; WWII veteran, 442nd.
Lin, Sam Chu, 67, Burbank, Mar. 5; pioneering Asian American journalist known for his coverage of Asian communities.
Loa, Jeffrey Sifoa, 32, Waianae, Hawaii, Aug. 16; Staff Sgt. killed in Iraq.
Mako, 72, Los Angeles, July 21; pioneering Asian American actor who received an Oscar nomination the 1966 film, “The Sand Pebbles”; co-founded the East West Players; appeared in films “Pearl Harbor,” “Seven Years in Tibet,” and both “Conan” films with Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Mayeda, Hideo, 78, Los Angeles, Mar. 2; U.S. Army.
Mori, Harry H., 81, Lomita, Dec. 22; WWII veteran.
Mui, Chi, 53, San Gabriel, April 27; first Asian American mayor of San Gabriel.
Mukai, Tomeo, 83, Spokane, Wash., Feb. 15; WWII veteran, 442nd.
Murase, Yoshio, 84, Reedley, Nov. 7; WWII veteran, Army.
Nagai, Dick T., 71, Monterey Park, May 16; Air Force veteran.
Nagai, Masaaki, 85, San Mateo, Nov. 24; WWII veteran, MIS.
Nagaki, Joe Hideoyoshi, 87, Payette, Id., Jan. 10; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT.
Nagashima, Tom Tomoo, 90, Los Angeles, Sept. 17; WWII veteran, 442nd.
Nakata, Kenneth S., 79, Bainbridge Island, Wash., Aug. 9; WWII and Korean War ve
teran.
Nakata, Tatsuo, 29, Seattle, Nov. 14; former National JACL Youth/Student Chair and the youngest chapter president for the Seattle chapter, Tatsuo passed away after being struck by a car while on his way to work. He was the chief of staff for Councilman David Della. Many believed him to be a rising star in the community. Born in Hawaii and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Tatsuo graduated from Seattle University with a degree in political science and became a member of the JACL in 1999. He is survived by his father Gene; mother, Nannette; brothers, Christian and Joshua and sister, Bernadette Warner.
Nishimoto, Kenji, 65, Sept. 24; Vietnam War veteran.
Nishimoto, Sunny Isao, 84, Fresno, Aug. 2; WWII veteran, MIS; Nishimoto Elementary School in the Madera Unified School District was named after the Nishimoto Family.
Nishino, Ken, 90, Hemet, Mar. 31; served 8 years as mayor of Hemet; WWII veteran, MIS.
Ogata, John Katsumi, 88, Orange, May 15; WWII veteran, Army.
Okazaki, Seiichi Jerry, 86, Whittier, Dec. 16; WWII veteran, MIS.
Omatsu, Paul Toyohiko, 80, Sylmar, Feb. 9; U.S. Army, Counter Intelligence Corps.
Ota, Minoru “Jack,” 89, Torrance, June 3; WWII veteran.
Otani, Robert Teruhisa, 92, Loomis, June 2; WWII veteran.
Naruo, Taka, 89, Pleasanton, June 3; WWII veteran, 442nd.
Nitta, Satoshi, 82, May 18; WWII veteran, MIS.
Sagami, Yahachi, Chicago, Illinois, July 13; WWII Veteran, 442nd RCT.
Saiki, Barry Minoru, 86, Stockton, June 17; A Stockton native and past president of the Stockton JACL; U.S. Army.
Sato, Takeo George, 85, Torrance, Oct. 4; WWII veteran, MIS.
Senzaki, Takashi “Tak,” 84, Los Angeles, Mar. 28; WWII veteran, 442nd.
Serikaku, Katsumi “Bucky,” 79, Orange, Sept. 20; WWII veteran, Army.
Shimakawa, Norman, 82, Stockton, Feb. 24; WWII veteran.
Shimazaki, Frank Junichi, 79, Jan. 15; WWII veteran.
Shimidzu, Arthur Norimasa, 87, Gardena, Sept. 2; WWII veteran, 442nd Company H Infantry Regiment.
Shoji, Samuel, 80, Seattle, Wash., June 16; Korean War veteran.
Sugino, Junichi, 82, West Los Angeles, Nov. 26; WWII veteran.
Sumida, John Yutaka, 87, Santa Clara, June 10; MIS veteran.
Susuki, Takeo, 86, West Los Angeles, Sept. 14; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT, 522nd Field Artillery Battalion.
Takai, Roy Tetsuo, 87, Pacheco, Feb. 6: U.S. Army, MIS.
Takitani, Sarah Aiko Uno, 92, Honolulu, June 28; co-founded Hawaiian Host Cho
colate with her late husband, Mamoru.
Tanaka, Henry T. “Hank,” 83, Cleveland, April 26; former National JACL President; longtime leader on the Cleveland chapter and Midwest District boards and a member of the Pacific Citizen Editorial Board; also played a pivotal role during the redress movement of the 70s and 80s by providing a personal testimony during the redress hearings of the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians in Chicago.
Taniguchi, Katsumi, 86, April 10; WWII veteran.
Tanita, Makoto “Mack,” 88, Phoenix, Arizona, July 15; WWII veteran.
Tatsuno, David M., 92, San Jose, Jan. 26; his historical film of his time in camp was placed on the National Film Registry; opened the Nichi Bei Bussan store in San Jose.
Toguri, Iva, 90, Chicago, Sept. 26; accused of being Tokyo Rose, the name given to a female radio broadcaster responsible for anti-American transmissions intended to demoralize soldiers fighting in the Pacific theater during World War II. In 1945 she was arrested for treason and served six years in prison. Later, doubts about her role as Tokyo Rose surfaced leading to a pardon by President Gerald Ford.
Ueha, Hiromi, 33, Irvine, April 10; former PSW District Governor and JACL National Youth/Student Chair.
Ushijima, John Takeji, 82, Honolulu, Hawaii, Aug. 13; former president of the Hawaii State Senate who helped craft key health care and anti-discrimination laws in the early years of statehood; WWII veteran, 442nd.
Uyeda, Glen Kazuma, 84, Canoga Park, Jan. 28; Korean Conflict veteran.
Uyesugi, Kenneth Kenji, 87, Dec. 10; WWII veteran, MIS.
Wada, Frank Fujio, 82, Los Angeles, Oct. 8; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT B Company.
Waki, George, 82, West Los Angeles, Oct. 18; WWII veteran, 442nd RCT.
Wong, Delbert, 85, Mar. 10; first Chinese American appointed to the bench in the continental United States; WWII veteran.
Woo, William, 69, Palo Alto, April 12; former St. Louis Post-Dispatch editor and first Asian American editor of a major U.S. newspaper.
Xiliang, Feng, 86, Beijing, China, Jan. 30; U.S.-trained journalist who in 1978 helped launch the China Daily, the communist government’s main English-language newspaper.
Yamada, Roy Minoru, 85, WWII veteran, 442nd, RCT, F Co.
Yamaguchi, Edward Isao, 84, Palm Springs, Sept. 26; WWII veteran, 442nd I Company.
Yamano, John Y., 80, San Jose, Oct. 26; Korean War veteran.