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| Dr. Masao Yamamoto |
Masao
Yamamoto (Poston 221-5-C) was born on September 6, 1918 to Tokuzo and
Moyo Yamamoto. He attended Garfield Elementary
School, Clovis High School and California State University, Fresno. He went on
to earn a degree in Pharmacy from University of California, San Francisco, and
a Doctorate degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from University of California, San Francisco /Ohio State University.
Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor and
the signing of Executive Order 9066, Mas was in his final year
at the University of California, San Francisco
School of Pharmacy. The Dean of Pharmacy, Troy
Daniels, was instrumental in allowing Mas to finish his coursework in record time, and prepare for his state boards, which would make him a licensed pharmacist
with a future. Mas graduated first in his class. Dean
Daniels helped him get safe passage out of San Francisco, and personally
contacted law enforcement agencies and told them that the UCSF nisei pharmacy students
would be traveling to rejoin their families.
The
Yamamoto family was relocated from Clovis,California and incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp 2 on
July 14, 1942. Mas was accepted into school, and left
Poston on July 12, 1943. He went to Cleveland, Ohio. His brother, Tokuo, was married while in the
camp, and his parents remained at Poston
until September 5, 1945 when they returned to Fresno, California.
Mas had a very distinguished and
rewarding career in pharmacy. He served as the Director of Pharmacy at Valley
Medical Center 1948-1987. He was the Director of Pharmacy at Valley Children's
Hospital, 1953-1975. He also co-owned and operated Valley Medical Pharmacy
while working his other jobs. He was a clinical instructor for University of
California, San Francisco, and instructed and mentored many of the pharmacists
in the Central Valley. Mas was very devoted to his Buddhist faith, teaching
Sunday School for 58 years.
Mas
received an honorary degree from the University of California, San Francisco at
a Nisei College Diploma Ceremony held in December of 2009.
Dr. Masao Yamamoto, resident of Clovis, California, died on November 24, 2012
at the age of 94. He is preceded in death by his
parents, Tokuzo and Moyo; sister,
Sakayo; brother, Tokuo; and son, Mason.
He is survived by his wife, Yoshiko; daughters, Joanne (Kent) Kozuki, and Kathy
(Yas)Toda; grandchildren, Kristi and Jeff Yamamoto, Katie Kozuki, Sarah Kozuki
O'Malley, Casey and Candace Toda; and great-grandchildren, Nico and Enzo
Yamamoto.
Source: The Fresno Bee, December 12, 2012
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/fresnobee/obituary.aspx?n=masao-yamamoto&pid=161653472&fhid=11234#storylink=cpy
