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| Tak Tsutsui |
Tak Tsutsui was born on January 21, 1932,
in Fresno, California to Masuo and Mutsue Tsutsui. He lived in Hanford, California,
until he was incarcerated with other people of Japanese ancestry living on the
western states following the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President
Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Tsutsui family was evacuated from their home and incarcerated
at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp 2 apartment 221-3-C, for the
duration of World War II.
At the Poston, Arizona concentration camp, Tak attended school. He placed third in the Boys “B” Division 25 yard finals event at the July 4, 1944 Camp 2 Swim Contest. He enjoyed playing badmitton, and hiked to the mountains to collect petrified wood. He caught fish from the Colorado River and cooked his catch on an open fire. He caught rattlesnakes and cut off the rattles to see who found the biggest snake. In school, he settled down a rowdy class when a substitute teacher was there for the day. He voluntarily collected money from his classmates to purchase a music box gift for their teacher, Miss Kerber, who was leaving school to get married to a sailor.
At the Poston, Arizona concentration camp, Tak attended school. He placed third in the Boys “B” Division 25 yard finals event at the July 4, 1944 Camp 2 Swim Contest. He enjoyed playing badmitton, and hiked to the mountains to collect petrified wood. He caught fish from the Colorado River and cooked his catch on an open fire. He caught rattlesnakes and cut off the rattles to see who found the biggest snake. In school, he settled down a rowdy class when a substitute teacher was there for the day. He voluntarily collected money from his classmates to purchase a music box gift for their teacher, Miss Kerber, who was leaving school to get married to a sailor.
Tak graduated from Selma High School in
1949. He married Miss Satoko Tanaka in 1953, and they began their life
together. He was a ranch foreman until having a stroke in 1966. Despite his
stroke, he was very active in supporting his children's interest. He was a
project leader for the Terry 4-H Club, and Community Leader for Terry Hi 4-H.
He served as a member of the Central California Judo Black Belt Association.
Tak was past President of the Fowler Judo Club, and was awarded an honorary 3rd
black belt for his dedication and service to the Chuka Judo Yudanshakai. Tak
was also an active member in the community. He served as a member on the Selma
Community Health Center Advisory Board, Nisei Farmers League and JACL District
Council. He was also past president of the Selma JACL and Selma Fellowship
group. Tak was an avid fundraiser and worked hard to raise money for programs
that supported his children's schools, 4-H, judo and extra curricular programs.
Tak Tsutsui
died on February 11, 2015. Tak was preceded in death by his parents; and his
sisters, Tadako and Toshiye Tsutsui.
He is survived by his wife Satoko;
daughters, Janice (David) Englebright, Kathy (Wayne) Stogbauer, and Sandy
Tsutsui (Martin) Trujillo; and son, Dr. Larry (Julie) Tsutsui. His granchildren: Jaclyn Stogbauer, Martha, Krista, Sarah, Laura, Julia, Hannah,
Takashi, and Wilma Tsutsui. He is survived by his brothers, Marvin and
Hideo Tsutsui.
Source: Fresno Bee on Feb. 14, 2015, oral history interview
