Miyoko was preceded in death her Father, Masuji Katano, her husband Noboru Mitsuoka and her Mother Kaneko Katano. She is survived by her brother Sam Katano and his wife Momoe and their daughter Stacey and her husband Shaun Stites and their children Kevin and Kelley; her children Chris and his wife Kyoko and Scott Mitsuoka. Her grandchildren Trenton and Jevon and his wife Rissey Mitsuoka and their daughters Keegan and Kailey. And her Third grandson Phillip Torres and his children Cael and Ellison.
Miyoko lived virtually all of her life in Visalia, California with brief stays in Poston, Arizona and San Diego, California. Otherwise she was always close to her parents in Visalia. She worked her early years in the Sunrise Laundry on Santa Fe with her parents. After her Brother Sam graduated from medical school and opened his practice on Center Street, she began working as his receptionist until their retirement several years ago.
About 1924, prior to the Asian Exclusionary Act, Hi-Jichan Katano returned to Japan to find a wife to bring back to America. He arranged to marry Kaneko Makabe. Hi-Jichan’s father was a farm labor contractor so Hi-Jichan and Hi-Bachan were able to work in the fields carrying their belongings on their backs from the work locations from Angola, a small town near Delano to Orange County. Her mother became pregnant with Miyo. Hi-Bachan learned how to deliver babies so they wouldn’t need a doctor when the time came. After the baby was born, Hi-Bachan told Hi-Jichan that he needed to find a different kind of work; they couldn’t keep moving from crop to crop. They found a gentleman with a laundry business that agreed to give the business to Hi-Jichan if he would work for him until he had enough money to return to Japan. By 1936 the laundry was doing well enough that Hi-Jichan was able to take his own family to Japan for a visit.
During the war the family was sent to Poston III Block 321. Miyo worked in the administration office while in camp and met her husband Noboru (Nabe) Mitsuoka who was working in the transportation pool. From Camp, she left to join friends in Chicago and worked briefly while staying with friends.
After returning to the Central Valley Miyo and Nabe married and began their family. She worked in the laundry with her husband and parents for many years. They moved to San Diego for a year while her husband worked as a milk deliveryman. They returned when her brother Sam opened his medical practice as his receptionist until their retirement about 3 years ago.
A Memorial Funeral Service will be celebrated on Friday, December 7, 2018 at 10:30 am at Visalia Buddhist Temple, 514 E Center Ave, Visalia.
Tributes and condolences may be made at www.millerchapel.com.
