Mitsuko Tanaka was born on September 11, 1918 in Great Falls, Montana. She was the eldest daughter born to Jasutaro
and Mitsue (Shirota) Tanaka, and was sent to Japan and attended 3 years of high
school before returning to the U.S. at the age of 19 years in 1938.
Mitsuko married Masao Paul Omura (Poston 227-6-D), and they had a
son, Kazuhiro. The Omura family was evacuated from Exeter, California following the signing
of Executive Order 9066, and arrived at the Poston Arizona internment camp (block 227-6-D)
on July 17, 1942. Mitsuko gave birth to
Fumio while at Poston in 1944. When the Omura family left Poston on August 30, 1945, they resettled in Seabrook, New Jersey,
where Mitsuko worked for Seabrook Farms until her retirement at age 65 years. In 1969, they moved to Upper Deerfield Township.
Mitsuko was an active member of the Seabrook Buddhist Temple, the Seabrook
Buddhist Temple Women's Association, the temple's Fujinkai, Seabrook JACL, and a
member of the Seabrook Minyo Dancers, who performed in 1977 in Washington, DC at President
Jimmy Carter's inaugural celebration. Mitsuko was a member of the Seabrook
Education and Cultural Center, and enjoyed embroidery, and was proficient at
origami.
Mitsuko (Tanaka) Omura, from Upper Deerfield
Township, died at the age of 93 years on April 25, 2012. She was preceded in death by her husband, Masao
Paul Omura (1983).
She is survived by her sons,
Kazuhiro "Kaz" (Judy) Omura of Pittsgrove, Fumio (Susan) Omura of
Novi, Michigan, Danny T. Omura of Upper Deerfield and Robert S. (Barbara) Omura
of Bridgeton; and her sister, Tamiko Sumita of Japan.
Source: The Bridgeton News, April 28, 2012
