Fusaye Kuranaga (Poston
307-11-B) was born January 20, 1924 to Japanese immigrants, Masayuki
"Frank" and Kitsu Kuranaga in Isleton, California. Masayuki immigrated to the U.S. in
1917 and was naturalized on November 11, 1954.
Fusaye grew up in a farming family and moved several times to various
locations throughout Central California.
When World War II broke out, the Kuranaga family was living in San Luis
Obispo, when Masayuki "Frank" Kuranaga was picked up
by the FBI and incarcerated at the Sharp Park Department of Justice internment
camp. The Kuranaga family members, Kitsu,
Harry, Sayoko "Mary", and
Fusaye, were forcibly evacuated from San Luis Obispo and incarcerated at the Poston,
Arizona concentration camp. They arrived at Poston camp 3 on August 2, 1942. Masayuki Kuranaga was granted parole from
Sharp Park and was reunited with his family on August 15, 1942 at Poston. He became a member of the Poston Red Cross, worked as a landscape gardener, and
was a Director of the Buddhist Church.
Fusaye Kuranaga trained to become a Nurse's Aide at the Poston General
Hospital located at camp 1. She was on
the "Californians' senior girls basketball team and the block 307 girls team.
Her brother, Harry was an instructor of a weight lifting class and was a referee for the
matches. He refused induction into the Army. Her sister, Sayoko was named 'Honorable Mention"
by the Poston Chronicles as their selection for the 1944 Senior Girls
Basketball All-Stars.
The Kuranaga family left Poston, Arizona
in the summer of 1945 and resettled in Los Angeles with their relatives who had settled
there. Fusaye went to work as a Nurse's Aide
at the Japanese Hospital and met Kanpo Joe Ogawa. Joe had been born in Sacramento and incarcerated at Tule Lake.
Joe Ogawa and Fusaye Kuranaga were married
in 1954, and raised two daughters. Joe had a 40-year career as a diesel mechanic in Los Angeles. In 1993, Joe and Fusaye moved to Soquel, which
was closer to their family, to enjoy their retirement years. After Joe died in
2009 in Soquel, and Fusaye moved to live closer to her daughters in San Jose.
Fusaye (Kuranaga) Ogawa died on August 17, 2012 in San Jose, California
at the age of 88. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kanpo Joe Ogawa
(2009); and parents, Masayuki (1986) and Kitsu Kuranaga (1952).
She is survived by daughters, Cathy (Dorian) Stonie of San Jose, and
Julee Ogawa (George Kent) of Los Gatos; and grandchildren, Daniel and Rachel
Kent and Matthew and Morgan Stonie.
Source: San Jose Mercury News/San Mateo County Times on
August 24, 2012
