The Nishioka family was imprisoned at the Topaz War Relocation Center in Utah as a result of Executive Order 9066.
Torakichi "Frank" Nishioka (May 15, 1889 – ?) was born in Japan, and came to the U. S. in 1904. About 1923, he married Mitsuko Takeda (Nishioka) (c.1899 – c.1934), who was also born in Japan. Torakichi ran a shoe making and repair business from their home at 1044 - 7th St.
The Nishiokas had two children, Mary Yoshiko Nishioka (February 10, 1926 – ?) and Frank Koji Noshioka (August 4, 1931 – April 20, 2010). Mitsuko died sometime before 1934, leaving Torakichi to raise 2 young children. In 1934, he took the children to Japan and returned in November. Information on Torakichi's WWII draft card suggests they were members of the Japanese Methodist Church at 10th and West Streets.
Mary was attending McClymonds High School in 1942 when the order for Japanese Americans to report for relocation and imprisonment.
1943 Ramblings yearbook 1
It's not clear where the family went after being released. Frank K. went on to study architecture, and died April 20, 2010, in Seattle, Washington. His Social Security Number may have been issued in Illinois.
Links and References
- The Student Yearbooks of a Japanese-American Detention Camp Atlas Obscura March 16, 2018
- Ramblings 1943 Utah State University Libraries
