KIMURA, Miyoko (Kajioka) (1927-2009)

Miyoko was born in Yettem, California on May 13, 1927 to Mataichi and Kane Kajioka. She attended Orosi High School, but graduated while evacuated to the Poston, Arizona  relocation center  (block  305-8-D) . She married in Los Angeles and later divorced. She returned to the family farm near Seville, California and raised four sons.

She learned shorthand and began a career as a California State employee with the California Division of Forestry in Visalia. She transferred to the California Department of Transportation in Fresno, where she retired after over 30 years of total service. She enjoyed attending retirement gatherings, bowling and travel tours with her friends.

She is survived by her children, Jeff (Mae) Kimura  of Fresno, David Kimura of Fresno, Gary Kimura of Visalia, and John Kimura of Alturas; brother, Tomio (Sachiko) Kajioka of Visalia; grandchildren, Kenny and Leslie; and sister-in-law, Ichiko Kajioka.

Source: Visalia Times-Delta, December 7, 2009

TAKEDA, David Seishiro(1937-2009)

     David Seishiro Takeda was born on May 1, 1937 in Chula Vista, California to Keiji & Toyono Takeda.  Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II, he and his family were evacuated to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, then relocated to the Poston internment camp (block 329-2-C) , located in Arizona.  He left Poston on 9/7/1945 and went to Fresno, California.  He had been a former resident of Orosi, and passed away on November 25, 2009 in Monterey Park.

     He is survived by his wife Emiko; brother, Joe (Ruby) Takeda; sisters, Chizuko (Takeda) Kubo, Sumiko (Takeda) Okuma, and Judy (Kenneth) Loy; sisters-in-law, May Takeda and Aiko (Tashiro)Takeda.

TAKEDA, Junji (1925-2008)

     Junji Takeda was born on July 10, 1925, in Chula Vista, California, to Keiji and Toyono Takeda. He grew up in Chula Vista, California. In 1943, his family was [evacuated to the Santa Anita Assembly Center and later relocated] to the internment camp (Poston block 329-2-C) in Arizona. 
     After high school graduation he joined the U.S. Army (30 Nov 1944) and was discharged in 1946. After being discharged, he rejoined his family in the Cutler area. He attended Reedley Junior College and Woodbury College in Los Angeles and worked as a bookkeeper for Brooks & Bly Packing Co. In Cutler. He also worked as a bookkeeper for Chang Trucking for 22 years. On February 2, 1952, he was married to the former Aiko Tashiro of Orosi.  Junji died on January 8, 2008.  He was predeceased by his parents (Keiji & Toyono Takeda);  and brother, Osamu Sam. 
     He is survived by his wife Aiko; sons, Victor (Anne) and Lindsay (Chris); daughter, Kathryn (Eugene) Onishi and grandchildren, Brandon and Jennifer Takeda, Kaylene, Alyssa, Jacqui, Mark and Chad Takeda, Eric, Lynne and Paul Onishi. He is also survived by brothers, Joe and David Takeda; and sisters, Chiz (Takeda) Kubo, Sumi (Takeda) Okuma, and Judy (Takeda) Loy. 

Source: Fresno Bee on 1/10/2008

ADACHI, Harry Terudo (1921-2010)

Harry Adachi

     Harry Terudo Adachi was born in Long Beach, California on December 7, 1921 to Asao & Fuji Adachi. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor during World War II, he and his family were relocated to the Poston internment camp (block 222-4-A) , located in Arizona. He was a member of the Poston Red Cross, and played basketball on the Broncos camp team. 
     He left Poston and relocated to Chicago, Illinois on  7/31/1945.  He was a long time resident of Sanger, and was 88 years old when he died on on March 20, 2010. He was preceded in death by his wife May, on November 25, 2008.

     He is survived by daughter, Joyce (Mel) Imai; son, Richard (Laurie) Adachi; sisters, Kikue (Adachi) Imai of Los Angeles, and Haruye (Adachi) Ohama of Fresno.

SHINKAWA, Mary (Osaki) (1924-2010)

Mary was born on October 27, 1924, in Orosi, California. In her senior year at Orosi High School,  she was relocated to Poston, Arizona (block 306-12-A) with her family during WWII. After the war ended the family returned to Orosi to continue with their vegetable farm.

Mary was a member of the Bowles Buddhist Church and Fresno Fujinkai. She was a homemaker for 55 years and a Sunday School Teacher for 25 years.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Tokiryo and Giichiro Osaki. 

She is survived by Yoshio Shinkawa, her husband of 55 years; daughter, Melanie (James Jr.) Fry; grandchildren, Terence Cortez, Christanie (JJ) Holt and Treven Fry; and one great-grandchild.

 Sources
http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Mary-Shinkawa&lc=2455&pid=141095062&mid=4179305
http://www.nikkeiwest.com/index.php/obituary-notice/91-obituaries-march

KAWAMOTO, Kiyoshi (1925-2011)

Kiyo Kawamoto

     Kiyoshi Kawamoto, 86, was born March 11, 1925, in Reedley. He attended Great Western Elementary and Reedley High School, where he graduated in 1942 - right before he and his family were removed from their rural farm and sent to the Poston III internment camp (block 318-4-B) in Arizona. Before World War II ended, Kiyoshi and the rest of the Kawamoto family moved to Seabrook, NJ, where they worked at the Seabrook Farms frozen foods plant before returning to their Reedley farm in 1946.

     For more than 70 years, Kiyoshi and his parents ran the family farm and raised plums, peaches, nectarines, and grapes. He was a lifelong member of the Reedley Buddhist Church, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. His father, Kojiro Kawamoto, was one of the church's founders. Kiyoshi served two terms as church president. In addition, he was the president of the Central California Young Buddhist Association and president of the Reedley chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League. 

     Kiyoshi was a devoted, caring and loving son, husband, father, and grandfather. He was a diehard and devoted San Francisco Giants fan - and was excited and thrilled when the Giants won the World Series in 2010. He also enjoyed fishing, singing, music, dancing and traveling. Kiyoshi was known for his friendly personality, his good nature, his gift of talking and his positive outlook on life. He loved and thoroughly enjoyed being around people. He passed away peacefully on April 3, 2011, at Clovis Community Hospital.

     Kiyoshi is preceded in death by his parents, Kojiro and Suye Kawamoto; sister, Miyeko Lorene (Kawamoto) Kamikawa; and three siblings, who died in childhood, Yayeko, Setsuko, and Ken Kawamoto. He is survived by his wife, Sueko Kawamoto, of 57 years; two children, Jon (Dawn) Kawamoto of Albany, CA, and Ellyn Kawamoto (Steve) Hendricks of Carlsbad, CA, and granddaughter, Kyra Kawamoto of Albany, CA. .

Published in the Fresno Bee on April 6, 2011