99 Year-Old Issei Dies In San Francisco

[Mulboyne]

Chronicle: Mitoshi Matsuno dies - a first-generation Japanese immigrant
The 99-year life of Mitoshi Matsuno embodied much of the tragedy and triumph of those who belonged to the large wave of Japanese immigration to America in the early 20th century.A member of the dwindling number of issei, first-generation Japanese immigrants, Mrs. Matsuno died Friday from pneumonia brought on by old age at Kokoro, an assisted-living facility in San Francisco's Japantown. She arrived in San Francisco at age 21 with her new husband, Tamaki Matsuno, after an arduous two-week voyage in 1930 aboard the steamship Tenyo Maru...Retaining Japanese as her language with her family, she never fully mastered English, yet through hard work, a strong will and a friendly disposition, she not only survived but thrived..."She was the blending of two cultures," said her granddaughter, Sarah Kimura...more...

[Bucky]

Her son works here in the same building I do in Seattle for my landlord. Sounds like she led a full and eventful life.

[Mulboyne]

Bowl.com: Japanese-American pioneer Hiroto Hirashima dies

Hiroto (Hiro) Hirashima, a United States Bowling Congress Hall of Famer who helped break down racial barriers for Japanese-American bowlers, has died in his home city of Honolulu, Hawaii. He was 97. Hirashima was born in Honolulu in 1910 and worked most of his life as a U.S. Postal carrier. He also was an enthusiastic bowler at a time when non-caucasians not only were banned from American Bowling Congress participation, but persecuted in the wake of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor. After ABC abandoned its "Caucasians only" membership rule in 1950, Hirashima organized nine teams of Nisei bowlers to participate for the first time in the 1954 ABC Championships Tournament in Seattle. His continuing involvement in the sport led to his election to the ABC Board of Directors in 1963. Twenty-five years later, he was awarded Life Membership for his service to ABC and in 1995, he was inducted into the USBC Hall of Fame for his pioneering efforts on behalf of Japanese-American bowlers.