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| Mitsi Tanaka |
Mitsuko (Mitsi) Ochi (Poston 12-3-CD) was born on June 21, 1923 in Garden Grove, California to Yonetaro and Hideyo Ochi. She was the eldest of 4 children and grew up on the family farm in Garden Grove and graduated from Santa Ana High School in 1940.
After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, her father, Yonetaro was detained at the Santa Anita Assembly Center. Mitsi, her mother and siblings, George, John and Hiroko Ochi were forcibly evacuated her with her family to the Arizona desert. They arrived on May 15, 1942 to the Poston internment camp block 12-3-CD. Her father joined the family in Poston on July 5, 1942. Mitsi left Poston on November 9, 1943 and went to Cleveland, Ohio where she stayed with Mr. and Mrs. Kurt Seelbach and became a part of their family. Her brothers, George and John departed fro, Poston on June 29, 1944 and went into farming. George went to Cleveland, and John went to Winnetka, Illinois. Hiroko left with her parents on August 29, 1944 and resettled in Cleveland.
Mitsi graduated in 1948 from Western Reserve University and majored in English. She met and married Harry Tanaka in 1948 in Cleveland, and they spent the next 8 years living all over the country as Harry handled assignments in his job with the US Geological Survey. They raised three sons, Wayne, Paul, and Thomas.
The family settled for 10 years in Oklahoma and eventually moved to Tacoma in 1967. After raising her children, Mitsi began working at the University of Puget Sound administrative offices. Later, she worked as the first placement director for the University of Puget Sound Law School when it was created in 1972.
Mitsi and Harry traveled extensively, often on trips involving hiking. They took memorable trips to the Alps in Europe, the Himalayas, the Peruvian Andes, Patagonia, China, the Japan Alps, and rafting in the Yukon. They also vacationed with their sons and their families in California, Hawaii, Oregon, and British Columbia. Mitsi also completed the Mountaineers climbing course, making it to the summit of Mt. St. Helens, the Tooth, and Chair Peak. She organized family get-togethers at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, a tradition that continues. Mitsi Tanaka, resident of Issaquah, WA died on July 16, 2011.
She is survived by her husband, Harry; sister Hiroko; brother John (wife Betty); and three sons and daughters-in-laws.
Mitsi and Harry traveled extensively, often on trips involving hiking. They took memorable trips to the Alps in Europe, the Himalayas, the Peruvian Andes, Patagonia, China, the Japan Alps, and rafting in the Yukon. They also vacationed with their sons and their families in California, Hawaii, Oregon, and British Columbia. Mitsi also completed the Mountaineers climbing course, making it to the summit of Mt. St. Helens, the Tooth, and Chair Peak. She organized family get-togethers at Fort Worden in Port Townsend, a tradition that continues. Mitsi Tanaka, resident of Issaquah, WA died on July 16, 2011.
She is survived by her husband, Harry; sister Hiroko; brother John (wife Betty); and three sons and daughters-in-laws.
Source: http://www.memorialobituaries.com/memorials/obits_display.cgi?action=Obit&memid=207676
