Iris Yuriko Nakashima (Poston 325-14-D) was born on February 29, 1943 at the Poston General Hospital in Arizona to Japanese immigrant, Yoshito Bud and Ayako (Osato) Nakashima, a nisei. Her parents had been forcibly evacuated from Visalia, California to the wartime living quarters on August 7, 1942 at the Poston internment camp, in the Arizona desert. Her father, Bud was a member of the Poston Red Cross, the most successful organization in the camp. Her younger sister, Kay was born in Poston several months before the Nakashima family departed from Poston on May 2, 1945 and went to Reedley, California.
Iris Nakashima married Richard Kawano in 1965 and they raised two children.
Iris Yuriko Kawano died on December 13, 2004. She had recently retired from teaching at Washington Elementary School in Reedley. She was preceded in death by her father, Bud (2001).
She is survived by husband, Richard; son, Rod of Stockton; daughter, Kristi of San Jose; mother, Alice Nakashima of Dinuba; sister, Kay Cappilla of Agoura Hills; and brothers, Gary of Sacramento, Harvey of Torrance, and Steven of La Mirada.
Published in the Fresno Bee on 12/16/2004.
