EKIMOTO, WAYNE MASATO (1944-2012)

Wayne Ekimoto

     Wayne Masato Ekimoto (Poston 19-11-D)  was born on September 27,1944 at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp's General Hospital located on the Colorado River Indian Tribe Reservation. 

     After President F.D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 after WW II broke out,  Yoshio,  Kiyoko,  and  Dennis S. Ekimoto (Poston 19-11-D) were evacuated from Lancaster, California and incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp 1 on May 25, 1942. The living space was very cramped and  Wayne and his older brother, Dennis shared a twin bed. His father, Yoshio left Poston on May 11, 1945 and went to Cleveland, Ohio. 

    The Ekimoto family finally departed from Poston, Arizona on September 11, 1945.  They headed to Long Beach, California, then returned to the Antelope Valley. Wayne's parents were farmers in the Antelope Valley in Southern California and the only family of the original thirteen families that settled in Lancaster, Callifornia.

     Wayne graduated from Antelope Valley High School as an all-star athlete. Wayne's name appears on the 1962-1963 Antelope Valley College Marauder All-Time football roster.  He received a Bachelor's degree and in 1974, a Master's degree from the University of California at Northridge.

     Wayne was a loved and respected teacher, counselor, football and track coach.  He  received the 1997 Gib Dear Award, which is given annually to the top high school football assistant by the Southern California Coaches Association. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Assistant Football Coaches in California, and received the Antelope Valley High School Football Hall of Fame Award. 

     Wayne was employed as a guidance counselor at Lancaster's Desert Winds High School. He coached the Antelope Valley High School softball team and was the defensive coordinator for the Antelope Valley High School football team.

     Wayne Ekimoto, a native of Lancaster, California, died on August 24, 2012.  He was preceded in death by his father, Yoshio B. (2009); and brother, Dennis (2011).

     He is survived by his mother, Nancy; daughter, Crystal Caldwell; and sister, Beverly.  

Sources: http://www.avpress.com/obit-archive.php?obit=31449482

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/may/17/local/me-japanese17/2

http://www.thefreelibrary.com/A.V.+TRYING+TO+CLOSE+GAP.-a083860588

http://gomarauders.avc.edu/stats/06-07%20mgpage/fbmg/06alltimerost.pdf

http://articles.latimes.com/1997-01-18/sports/sp-19817_1_cross-country-team

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=12510677

EKIMOTO, DENNIS SHOSUKE (1940-2011)

Dennis Ekimoto

     Dennis Shosuke Ekimoto (Poston 19-11-D) was born to American parents, Yoshio and Kiyoko Ekimoto in April of 1940.   

     When WWII war broke out, Yoshio,  Kiyoko and Dennis Ekimoto were evacuated from Lancaster, California and incarcerated at the Poston, Arizona concentration camp 1 where they spent the next several years of their lives.  His brother Wayne Ekimoto was born in Poston.  The  living quarters were cramped and Dennis and his brother, Wayne had to share a single twin bed. His father, Yoshio Ekimoto left Poston on May 11, 1945 and went to Cleveland, Ohio. 

       The Ekimoto family left Poston, Arizona on September 11, 1945, and headed to Long Beach, California. They eventually returned to the Antelope Valley.

     Dennis was a graduate of Antelope Valley High School, and was a track and field star and an All-American football player. His name appears on the 1958-1959 Antelope Valley College Marauder All-Time football roster.  Dennis earned a Bachelor's degree at California State University at Northridge.  Dennis was employed with the Lancaster City Parks & Recreation Department until retirement in 2006.

     Dennis S. Ekimoto lifetime resident of Lancaster, California died on December 24, 2011. He was preceded in death by his father, Yoshio B. Ekimoto (2009).

     He is survived by his son, Kenneth (Sandra) Ekimoto; grandson, David Ekimoto; mother, Kiyoko Ekimoto; brother, Wayne (Nancy) Ekimoto; sister, Beverly Ekimoto.

Sources: http://www.avpress.com/obit-archive.php?obit=31289859

http://gomarauders.avc.edu/stats/06-07%20mgpage/fbmg/06alltimerost.pdf

EDDOW, DAN NAGAO (1933 - 2008)

     Dan Nagao Eddow (Poston 12-1-C ) was born in Brawley, California on July 16, 1933, the 7th of 8 children born to Japanese immigrants, Miki and Shigetoki Eddow. During his early childhood years, Dan went to school, and helped his father with the family farm.  During the summer, they took long vacations at the beach.
     In 1942, two months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor,  Dan's life changed when he,  his parents,  and siblings, Shigenaga, Shigeyuki Frank, Daizo Henry, Shigemi Arlene, Toshiko Virginia, and Albert Eddow were evacuated from Oceanside.  They arrived to their new  living quarters in the Arizona desert at the Poston internment camp block 12-1-C on May 15, 1942.  As a youngster, Dan played with his friends and went to school in Poston.  He remembered being served so many Vienna canned sausages that he was never able to eat them after leaving camp. His brother Shigenaga found employment in Baltimore and left Poston on November 3, 1944.  A few days later on November 7, 1944, his sister, Namiko left to work and resettle in East Lansing, Michigan. The next  month, his brother, Frank reported for military duty at Fort Douglas, Utah on December 11, 1944.  Half a year later on June 12, 1945, older brother, Henry, located employment  in Cleveland and departed from Poston. Dan and his parents, and siblings, Arlene, Virginia, and  Albert, were the last of their family to leave Poston on November 12, 1945.  They resettled in the Los Angeles area.
     When WW II was over,  Dan graduated from Poly High School in Long Beach and graduated in 1953 from Long Beach City College with an Associate's degree. He joined the Army from 1953-1955 and did a tour in Korea, and then remained in the Army Reserves until August 31, 1961.
     Dan began his career in Aerospace at Space Technology Laboratories (STL) in Redondo Beach, and stayed with the company as it became TRW and now Northrop Gruman. In the 1960's he worked with space exploration and traveled frequently to  Cape Canaveral, Florida to see his work launch into space. He designed the module to launch Apollo 13 from the moon to earth, and when the mission was aborted, his module was used to transport the astronauts safely back and he was there to  greet the astronauts when they returned home.
     In 1960, Dan married Elizabeth Joanne Wainwright and immediately welcomed a 5- year old daughter, Debbie.  Later, Kim and Mikki were born and the family relocated to Huntington Beach. Many years later, they moved to Henderson, Nevada when Joanne's health required a drier climate and Dan retired.  Joanne died in 2003.  Several years later, Dan had surgery for colon cancer, and later returned to California to be with Debbie and his grandkids. He met his first great grandchild, Matilda Elizabeth before he died on July 19, 2008.

Source: http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Dan-Eddow&lc=7067&pid=148500236&uuid=90891d07-1590-4a84-8c95-9091f4317a49

ETOW, Hajime “Jim”

Jim Etow

     Hajime “Jim” Etow  was born in Dinuba, California, and  moved to Watsonville in 1924. He and his family were incarcerated in Poston, Arizona (block 216)  during WW II. He enlisted in the US Army Air Corps. Upon his return to Watsonville, Jim married, raised a family and farmed strawberries. Hajime “Jim” Etow passed away on Wed., Dec. 1, 2010, at the age of 86 years.

      He survived by sons,  Derek and Stanley Etow.  He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary.