Iwao Roy Misaki

Iwao Roy Misaki was born in Newcastle, California on July 29, 1915 and passed away in the early morning hours of March 25, 2016 at the age of 100. He was one of three children born to Mitsuji and Ura Misaki. When he was 2 years old, his mother passed away and his father took the children to Hiroshima, Japan.

At the age of 16, Roy returned to the United States with his older brother and supported himself working on farms and attending school at night. In 1941, he was inducted into the United States Army and received an honorable discharge as World War II was beginning. He was sent to the Gila, Arizona internment camp where he worked as an ambulance driver. It was there that he met Meri Umeda and they were married in September 1943. At the end of the war, they relocated to Cleveland, Ohio where their first son was born. Shortly thereafter, they returned to Selma, California where their second son was born and they worked and eventually purchased their own farm in 1958. Roy and Meri sold their farm in 1991 and built a beautiful home in Selma where they lived. His wife passed away in 2008 and he continued to live there until October 2010 when he moved to the Vintage Gardens Assisted Living facility in Fresno. He was an active member of the Selma Japanese Community and a member of the Fresno Betsuin Buddhist Temple.

Roy is survived by son Gordon Misaki and his wife Laurie of Clovis, son Stanley Misaki and his wife Glory of San Mateo; brother-in-law Ben Umeda and wife Yoko of Watsonville, and sister-in-law Lily Omokawa of Sunnyvale; and numerous nephews and nieces. A great joy in his life was the interaction he had with his grandchildren, Julia, Karen, Mitchel and Melinda. He appreciated the fanfare he received upon reaching his 100th birthday in July 2015.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Meri, brothers Katsumi Misaki, Hiroshi Misaki and sisters Tamaye Minamoto and Harumi Murakami.

Remembrances may be made to the Fresno Buddhist Temple Building Fund.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Fresno Buddhist Temple Family Dharma Center at 2690 E. Alluvial, Fresno, CA on Friday, April 15, 2016 at 11:00 am.