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| Frank Oshita |
Frank Kazuo "Kaz" Oshita (219-10-C) was born March 6, 1920 to Japanese immigrant
parents, Takizo Oshita and Masu Oshita in Castroville, California. His siblings
are: the oldest sister, Kimi; younger brother Tak (Jack) and younger sister,
Sally. Frank attended school in Monterey since at the time school district
covered Monterey-Castroville. He attended Monterey High School and graduated in
1939. He enjoyed mechanical drawing class and participated in cross country
running.
Frank began his agricultural career working for the Nakamura family near Nashua Road as a ranch foreman; then for the Yuki family on Wilder Ranch and on another in Gonzales, California.
Frank began his agricultural career working for the Nakamura family near Nashua Road as a ranch foreman; then for the Yuki family on Wilder Ranch and on another in Gonzales, California.
During WW II, the Oshita family was forced
with military escort to relocate temporarily at the Salinas Assembly
Center. They were moved to more
permanent war-time living quarters in the desolate Arizona desert at the Poston,
Arizona concentration camp II where they arrived on July 1, 1942. During the incarceration, Frank
"Roundhouse" Oshita participated in the sport of boxing. He took a
agricultural seasonal leave to work in Welby, Colorado on May 5, 1943. He left
Poston on September 5, 1944 to start agricultural work in Clinton, Iowa and
resettle. His parents and sister, Sally remained at Poston, Arizona until September
10, 1945, when they returned to Castroville.
After the war, Frank worked at many odd jobs including working for an apple cannery in Watsonville. Then he decided to go into farming for himself. He met his beloved wife, Miya Kubota, while picking up green onions for a market. He decided to grow green onions as a truck farm operation. Frank married September 1956. There are three children, Cory and Sue Kubota, both of Sunnyvale and Jan Oshita-Tokiwa of Salinas.
Frank's imagination and intuitive understanding of plants started his career in Salinas Valley produce as an innovator and pioneer in mixed vegetables. By using new ideas and technology to keep green onions cold and fresh for shipment to the east coast, his product became successful.
In 1958, Frank, his brother Jack Oshita and his brother-in-law, Don Mitani started Oshita Farms in Castroville then moved operations to Salinas in 1964 after purchase of the packing shed on Commission St. Forward thinking expanded operations to full line of mix vegetable farming in the Salinas Valley, Oxnard area and Imperial Valley. Frank's passion was the assessment for improvements in production for high quality products. In particular, he did plant selections to create his own varieties for green onion and bok choy. He enjoyed working with local Ag Extension personnel to find new production techniques.
Frank served on the board of the Salinas Buddhist Temple and had been active in the local temple as well as Coast District affairs.
Frank Oshita died on November 19, 2012 at the age of 92. He was preceded in death by two siblings, Kimi Sato and Jack Oshita.
Frank is survived by his wife of 56 years, Miya Oshita of Salinas; son, Cory Kubota of Sunnyvale; daughters, Jan (Larry) Tokiwa of Salinas, Sue Kubota of Sunnyvale; granddaughter, Leslie Tokiwa of Osaka, Japan; grandson, Kazuo M. Tokiwa of San Francisco; and sister, Sally Mitani of Salinas.
Source: The Salinas Californian, Nov. 22 , 2012
After the war, Frank worked at many odd jobs including working for an apple cannery in Watsonville. Then he decided to go into farming for himself. He met his beloved wife, Miya Kubota, while picking up green onions for a market. He decided to grow green onions as a truck farm operation. Frank married September 1956. There are three children, Cory and Sue Kubota, both of Sunnyvale and Jan Oshita-Tokiwa of Salinas.
Frank's imagination and intuitive understanding of plants started his career in Salinas Valley produce as an innovator and pioneer in mixed vegetables. By using new ideas and technology to keep green onions cold and fresh for shipment to the east coast, his product became successful.
In 1958, Frank, his brother Jack Oshita and his brother-in-law, Don Mitani started Oshita Farms in Castroville then moved operations to Salinas in 1964 after purchase of the packing shed on Commission St. Forward thinking expanded operations to full line of mix vegetable farming in the Salinas Valley, Oxnard area and Imperial Valley. Frank's passion was the assessment for improvements in production for high quality products. In particular, he did plant selections to create his own varieties for green onion and bok choy. He enjoyed working with local Ag Extension personnel to find new production techniques.
Frank served on the board of the Salinas Buddhist Temple and had been active in the local temple as well as Coast District affairs.
Frank Oshita died on November 19, 2012 at the age of 92. He was preceded in death by two siblings, Kimi Sato and Jack Oshita.
Frank is survived by his wife of 56 years, Miya Oshita of Salinas; son, Cory Kubota of Sunnyvale; daughters, Jan (Larry) Tokiwa of Salinas, Sue Kubota of Sunnyvale; granddaughter, Leslie Tokiwa of Osaka, Japan; grandson, Kazuo M. Tokiwa of San Francisco; and sister, Sally Mitani of Salinas.
Source: The Salinas Californian, Nov. 22 , 2012
