Etsuko “Betty”
Yoshioka (Poston 318-10-B) was born on May 12, 1940 to Goro and Kiyoko Yoshioka. Like all others
of Japanese ancestry in the U.S., FDR's federal government stripped her family
of its property and belongings once WW II began. The family voluntarily moved from Los Angeles
to Reedley, California to avoid immediate evacuation. Later, the “free” military zone
changed and they were evacuated to the Poston, Arizona concentration camp 3. She was imprisoned with her parents and
sister Hatsuko, for 3 years. A sister,
Mitsuko, was born a few months after their arrival to Poston. Tetsuo, the
brother of the family, arrived two years later.
After the war, the
Yoshioka family rebuilt their lives, farming in Lawndale, California and
eventually in Torrance, California. Her father died of heart failure at the age
of 45, leaving her mother to support four children.
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| Betty Yoshioka |
Betty graduated from
Torrance High in 1958 and then from the University of California, Los Angeles. Her
passport soon had many stamps and her wanderlust never faded. In her twenties
she lived on the tiny Greek island Skiathos, harvesting olives for a year. In
her seventies, she returned for a visit. She loved to run marathons, eat rich
meals, and dance. She was a macramé artist, avid reader, and loved to take
photos. She built a successful legal transcription business, served as land-lord and property manager to her real estate investments, and was her
own boss.
Etsuko “Betty” Yoshioka
died on October 7, 2015 following a prolonged battle with stomach cancer at the
age of 75. She is survived by her long-time companion, Denzel Simon; sister,
Mary Higuchi; nieces, Sachi Cunningham and Mari Higuchi; and nephew, Mark
Higuchi.
Source: Published in
the Los Angeles Times on Nov. 8, 2015
