Amiko “Emiko” (Yamada) Kusumoto
(Poston 32-14-D)
was born in Brawley, California on February 23, 1919 to M. and Takimi (Hada)
Yamada. The Yamada family moved to Japan in 1924.
Her sister, Masumi, was 23 years old when
she returned alone on the S.S. Tatuta Maru in May of 1940. Emiko was 22 years old when she returned alone
from Hiroshima-ken, Japan on the S.S. Asama Maru in March of 1941. She
married Kajizo Kusumoto. Her sister, Tazuko, was 19 years old when she
returned alone on the S.S. Yawata Maru in July of 1941.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and
signing of Executive Order 9066, Amiko and Kajizo Kusumoto were
forcibly evacuated from Watsonville, California to the Salinas Assembly
Center. After a few months, they were
transported by train and incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp
1 located on the Colorado River Indian Tribe Reservation. They arrived on June 30, 1942, and in the
following spring, Emiko gave birth to a baby boy, Roy Yoshikazu. Kajizo,
Emiko and Roy Kusumoto (Poston 32-14-D) left Poston, Arizona on March 8, 1944 and
went to resettle in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Later, they moved to Preston, Idaho, and a son, Fred was born.
In
1948, the Kusumoto family returned to Watsonville, California and a son, Lee was born. At that time Kajizo
started farming strawberries. Most were
for Driscoll, a Pajaro Valley producer
and distributor of strawberries which started its business with independent
farmers in the 1940s. The Driscoll
Strawberry Associates, Inc. was founded as an independent California
cooperative selling premium, fresh California strawberries, and the long relationship
with Driscoll lasted until Emiko Kusumoto retired in 1985.
Amiko “Emiko” (Yamada) Kusumoto
passed
away at the age of 93 on July 8, 2012 in Watsonville. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kajizo Kusumoto (2000); mother,
Takimi (1963); sisters, Chieko Yamada (1999
), Masumi Kusumoto (1987), Tazuko Horiye
(1999), Miyuki Yamada (8/21/1923), and Takuye Yamada.
She is survived by sons, Roy (Jo-Ann) Kusumoto, Fred, and Lee E. Kusumoto; and sister, Sadako Yamada.
Sources: http://www.watsonvillesantacruzjacl.org/includes/8-2012news.pdf
http://www.driscolls.com/about/our-story.php
