 |
| Fumi Hanami |
Fumi Miyata (Poston 60-6-B) was born October 8, 1915 in Los
Angeles County to Otokichi and Mitsu Miyata.
She graduated from an Imperial County high school.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, her father, Otokichi Miyata was
picked up by the FBI and transferred to the Bismarck, North Dakota Department
of Justice detention prison. Along with
her mother, Fumi and her siblings, Nobuo, Junji Johnny, Hisao Tommy, and Kikuye
Emily were evacuated from El Centro and incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona
concentration camp block 60-6-B on May 19, 1942. Her father was granted a parole from the
federal prison and joined his family at Poston, Arizona later on July 9, 1942.
Her brother, Nobuo was the first in the Miyata family to leave Poston,
Arizona. He was released and went to a
job in Cleveland on January 4, 1944. Fumi left Poston and went to Chicago for employment on April 3, 1944. Hisao Tommy left Poston on September
15, 1944 to report for military service at Fort Douglas, Utah. The rest of the Miyata family finally departed
from Poston, Arizona on October 8, 1945 and went to San Dimas, California.
In Chicago, Fumi worked for 9 months and saved her money as she planned
to return to her home in California. When Fumi did return, she attended the Fashion
Design and Sewing School, and became an accomplished seamstress.
Fumi Miyata married Yoshimi "Yes" Hanami in Los Angeles in
1960, and they moved to Rexburg, Idaho. As she settled into life on the farm,
her yard became her passion, an oasis where she spent many hours and she continued
to mow her lawn well into her 80's. Fumi died on February 24, 2012 in Rexburg,
ID. She was preceded in death by her husband,
Yes; her parents, Otokichi and Mitsu; her
brothers, Ichizo, Masakichi, and Nobuo; and sister-in-law Marvel, and nephew,
Kenny Miyata.
She is survived by her brothers, Shinji Henry, John (Lily), and Tommy
(Mieko).
Source: http://www.flammfh.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=1405909&fh_id=11942
