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| Rev. Tameichi Okimoto |
Tameichi
Okimoto (Poston 327-4-C) was born in
a strict soldier’s home on September 21, 1904 in Yamaguchi-ken, Japan. He was an only child and raised in Taiwan and
Korea. He disliked farm life in Yamaguchi-ken, and went to Tokyo, but life
there did not satisfy him either, and he contracted tuberculosis. Not knowing
where to turn, he went to a Christian church where he came under the influence
of a loving and caring missionary. As a result, Tameichi decided to become a
minister and went to seminary in Tokyo. At school, Tameichi met Kirie Kumagai,
whom he married after graduation. Kirie, the 6th child in her family, had been
born in Fukuoka, Kyushu on July 6, 1901. Although she had been raised on a
farm, she went to college and became a teacher. While in Japan, Paul and Ruth
were born.
In 1937, the Oriental Missionary Society asked Rev. Tameichi Okimoto to work
among Japanese-Americans, and he took his family to the United States for his
first assignment at the San Diego Holiness Church. He led the church
in acquiring a permanent church building and baby Joseph was born. After the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the
signing of Executive Order 9066, the Okimoto family now with three children, Paul, Ruth and Joseph, was evacuated to
the Santa Anita Assembly Center. While
detained at the Santa Anita Racetrack, baby Daniel was born. Two weeks later, the Okimoto family was transported
to the Poston Relocation Center in Arizona, where they were incarcerated at camp
3 and resided at Poston 327-4-C .
Rev. Tameichi Okimoto was assigned as a
Christian pastor in Camp III.
The Okimoto family left Poston on September 11, 1945 and returned to San Diego, where Rev. Tameichi Okimoto briefly served, and then was transferred to the San Lorenzo Holiness Church in 1946. He also helped in the pioneer work of both the Mountain View and Campbell Churches, and served the San Lorenzo Church for 8 years. Later, he was assigned to both the San Fernando and the Azusa Holiness Churches in 1954. From 1954-1965, Rev. Tameichi Okimoto served at the San Fernando Church and simultaneously served at the Monrovia Church from 1954-1955 and again from 1958-1965.
In 1965, Rev. Tameichi Okimoto resigned from the Holiness Conference. While serving at the Whittier Community Christian Church, he died in 1969. He was predeceased by his wife, Kirie in 1956.
The Okimoto family left Poston on September 11, 1945 and returned to San Diego, where Rev. Tameichi Okimoto briefly served, and then was transferred to the San Lorenzo Holiness Church in 1946. He also helped in the pioneer work of both the Mountain View and Campbell Churches, and served the San Lorenzo Church for 8 years. Later, he was assigned to both the San Fernando and the Azusa Holiness Churches in 1954. From 1954-1965, Rev. Tameichi Okimoto served at the San Fernando Church and simultaneously served at the Monrovia Church from 1954-1955 and again from 1958-1965.
In 1965, Rev. Tameichi Okimoto resigned from the Holiness Conference. While serving at the Whittier Community Christian Church, he died in 1969. He was predeceased by his wife, Kirie in 1956.
He was survived
by his sons, Paul, Joseph and Daniel; and daughter, Ruth.
Source: http://kuzuharalibrary.com/biographies/okimoto_tameichi.html
