Masaharu Uchida

Mas was born on October 6, 1924 in Seattle, WA to Kaichiro (Harry) and Yoshiko Uchida. The family lived in Wapato, where they farmed. Mas went to school until the war broke out, then the family was interned at Heart Mountain Wyoming, and that is where dad graduated from high school. Mas then was drafted into the Army and served for 1 ½ years in Italy. Mas proudly served his country in WWII with the 442nd battalion 100 regiment medivac. After honorable service to his country, Mas gave 58 years of dedicated service to the Wapato American Legion Post 133.

On May 7, 1961, Mas Uchida married Irene Kobata. They lived in Wapato, where they raised their family. Mas worked for Lee and Margaret Mendenhall for many years at their R & R Short’s Hardware Store in Wapato. Mas farmed with his two brothers, Aki and Tom for many years until they retired in 2006.

Dad enjoyed hunting, fishing, playing cards, horse racing, rolling dice for coffee, bowling, watching all the sports and spending time with his grandson Michael going to all his sporting events.

Special thank you to: Lower Valley Hospice, North Star Lodge, Willow Springs and the Veterans Administration.

Mas is survived by his spouse of 49 years, Irene Uchida; two sons, Perry Uchida of Yakima, WA, and Earl (Susana) Uchida of Chicago, IL; daughter, Martha (David) Conradt of Mabton, WA; one sister, Kimiko Mori of Seattle, WA; four brothers, Tomio (Takako) Uchida of Wapato, WA, Shig (Jean) Uchida of Kent, WA, Sam (Masako) Uchida of Seattle, WA, and Yosh Uchida of Yakima, WA; sister-in-law, Nancy Uchida of Yakima, WA; brother-in-law, Kay Kobata of Soap Lake, WA; and four grandchildren, Michael Conradt of Mabton, WA, Brandon Uchida of California, Elizabeth Ford and Natalia Uchida both of Chicago, IL. He was preceded in death by his parents Kaichiro (Harry) and Yoshiko Uchida, one brother Aki Uchida, his brother-in-law Hideo Mori, his father-in-law Sam Kobata of Soap Lake, his mother-in-law Norma Kobata of Soap Lake, and his brother-in-law Roy Kobata of Soap Lake.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, October 30, 2010 at the Yakima Buddhist Church in Wapato. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Lower Valley Hospice or North Star Lodge. Merritt Funeral Home has been entrusted with the arrangements. To share a memory of Mas, please visit www.MeM.com.