Editor's Note: In the months prior to her death, Mutsuko, somewhat reluctantly (i.e., who would be interested in my life?) provided the somewhat sketchy biographical details noted below. She was unsure of a few details and I might have misunderstood some of the other information she provided. Because of her failing health, I never had an opportunity to review all of the information collected with her. The question marks in the biography imply that there is some doubt whether the statements are correct. If you detect any errors or have any additional information that would make the biography more accurate, complete, or interesting; please contact me (Bob Burdett) via the on-line e-mail, letter, or phone.

Mutsuko Hamashita was born on January 7, 1924 in San Pedro, California. Her father, Tomikichi Hamashita, was a railroad construction worker when he first came to the United States. He later owned and operated a general/grocery store on Terminal Island. He was 59 years old (per birth certificate) when Mutsuko was born.

Mutsuko's mother, Tono Hamashita (maiden name = Shiba, per the birth certificate) was a schoolteacher in Japan before coming to the United States. In addition to taking care of her family in Terminal Island, she helped her husband with his businesses (e.g., bookkeeper). Tono was 36 years old when Mutsuko was born.

Mutsuko was the youngest of the three children in her family.

Mutsuko's sister, Sechiko (Marie), who was born on December 15, 1915, was eight years old when Mutsuko was born.

Mutsuko's brother, Yutaka, who was born on May 15, 1920, was three years old when Mutsuko was born. Yutaka was nine years old when he died (Asthma) in San Pedro during February, 1930. Mutsuko described him as a "nice nice brother."

The Hamashita family (Tomikichi, Tono, Sechiko-15, and Mutsuko-7) returned to Japan in 1931 (when Mutsuko was 7, Passport 429211 issued 8-3-31). Mutsuko's mother, who was suffering from tuberculosis, wanted to return to Japan to die.

Mutsuko's mother lived for approximately three years after she returned to Japan. She died in 1934, when Mutsuko was ten years old.

Mutsuko's sister returned to the United States in February 1934, after her mother died. She married Asahachi (Henry) Shiroyama shortly after returning to the United States.

Mutsuko continued to live with her father in Japan after her mother died. She attended an all-girls elementary and a coeducational high school while in Japan.

Mutsuko's father, who apparently made a lot of money in the grocery business before returning to Japan, lost a lot of money during the depression of the 1930's, when the Japanese banks that had his accounts failed. Times were tough after his USA earned money was lost. A relative in California helped Tomikichi out by collecting overdue accounts from his former grocery in California and forwarding that money to Tomikichi in Japan. The money and the mail would stop after World War II started.

Mutsuko was approaching her 18^th birthday when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. During the war years, she spent sometime in Kyoto (learning to type) and at Osaka (doing government office work).

Mutsuko remembers seeing United States military planes flying low over the ocean until they reached the tip of Honshu Island (near where they lived). She said the planes would climb sharply as they neared the coast before continuing on to their targets.

Mutsuko also saw some of the areas where bombing had occurred (e.g., the Sakai railroad station) and she remembers the tough times that followed the end of the war.

Mutsuko's father, Tomikichi Hamashita, apparently died shortly after the end of the war, leaving Mutsuko alone in Japan with no other immediate family. These were apparently hard times for her. She was living alone and earning very little money at her government job. Her home was safe but food was scarce. She lived with Hatsuye and Kiyoshi Shiroyama, near Yokohama, for awhile after the war.

Editor's Note: Kiyoshi Shiroyama was Mutsuko's sister's brother-in-law.

Mutsuko returned to the United States in 1948 (24 years old). She traveled alone from Yokohama, Japan to San Francisco. She remembers being very seasick on the small cargo boat that brought her back from Japan. [American Presidents Lines - Third Class - S. S. General Gordon, April 30, 1948, fare $213, admitted into USA on May 12, 1948 per Passport FS 209315 - 2309 - 3778].

In addition to the siblings previously noted, Mutsuko also had an older stepbrother (adopted by her father - from other family member). His name was Sadao. He had not returned to Japan with the rest of the family in 1931.

When Mutsuko returned to the United States, she was met in San Francisco by her sister (Sechiko/Marie) who was then living in Moleen, Nevada (near Elko) with her husband (who was then a railroad worker). Mutsuko's brother Sadao was also living in Moleen and working for the same railroad. Mutsuko stayed with Sadao, while in Nevada, as Sechiko/Marie, who was Catholic, did not want Mutsuko's Buddhist figures in her house.

According to Aunt Marie, Sadao disliked the new railroad supervisor that was assigned to Moleen, so he quit the railroad and moved to Long Beach, California, where he became a professional gardener. Mutsuko also moved to Long Beach at about that same time (shortly after returning to the USA).

Sadao died -- year? -- while living in California? He had diabetes and lost his legs to that disease before he died.

While in Long Beach, Mutsuko attended school (to learn English). During part of her time in Long Beach she stayed with a Japanese-American family (Sadao's cousin Kimi Shirokawa? -- and Kimi's parents?). Kimi Shirokawa's last known address was the Keiro Nursing Home in Gardena CA. Kimi's sister Fumi was also a close friend of Mutsuko.

Later, while living in Long Beach, Mutsuko lived with a professor's family -- going to school during the day and doing house work nights and weekends.

Later, Mutsuko moved to Los Angeles to continue her English studies. She lived with a friend from Japan, while living in Los Angeles.

At or about this time Mutsuko's future husband Kazuji (Mike) Oshima was working at Boys Town, Nebraska. Kazuji Oshima had been born on September 1, 1918 in San Pedro, California. His father (Tetsuhiro?) was a fisherman when Kazuji was born. Kazuji's mother, Hona Genda, was a 34 year-old housewife. Kazuji had been uprooted from his Terminal Island, CA home and commercial fishing job at the start of World War II. Kazuji had spent some time in the Manzanar, CA detention center before accepting the opportunity presented by Father Flanagan to move to and work at Boys Town.

At of about that time a lady (the "matchmaker") who was working at the same place that Kimi (above) was working found out that Kazuji's family was looking for a wife for him.

The matchmaker somehow arranged for Mutsuko to marry Kazuji. The wedding was conducted in the Los Angeles area on September 24, 1950. Mutsuko was 26 years old when she married Kazuji.

Kazuji (Mike) returned to Boys Town with his young bride, after the wedding. There first home in Omaha was in the Happy Hollow area of the city. They lived in an attic apartment at the time. They were there (year or less) before they moved to Boys Town -- living first in an apartment over the gardeners garage -- and then moving to the farmhouse located north of West Dodge Road, near present day 138^th Street.

While living at Boys Town, the following children were born:

Terry Teruko -- July 23, 1951

Roger -- February 10, 1956

Roy -- July 15, 1961, and

Grace Ayako -- August 15, 1963.

After, Grace began elementary school, Mutsuko went back to work.

Her first job was at a company called Westmore. This company, which was located in the old "jobbers canyon" area of Omaha (between 10^th Street and Missouri River, south of Dodge, current site of Conagra corporate offices and Heartland of America Park) made western clothing. Westmore trained Mutsuko how to sew. Westmore closed when the property was cleared for the Conagra offices and the park.

Mutsuko then worked for awhile as a seamstress at St. Catherine's Hospital (where Terry was born, now closed).

Mutsuko then worked at Scott's Manufacturing (near 24^th and Jones) until she retired. Scott's made a lot of different types of canvas projects (e.g., driving range golf ball bags, shoe bags, luggage).

Mutsuko spent a lot of time during her working career on the Metro Area Transit (MAT) buses running between Boys Town (first) or the Westroads (later) and her downtown employers.

When the state of Nebraska bought their Boys Town house to expand West Dodge Road (US 6), the Oshimas moved to a house in the Stonehenge subdivision north of Boys Town (near Roger's and Terry's homes).

Mitzi loved her family, holidays, Lawrence Welk, Sushi, needlepoint, tennis (Andy Roddick), and greeting cards. She was a member of Trinity Church and an active member of that church's "Keenager" group during the last years of her life.

Mutsuko died on Tuesday, July 20^th, 2004 in Omaha, Nebraska (age 80) after a 20 month struggle with lung cancer.

Mutsuko's cancer was initially found during a geriatric appointment (X-ray) during the summer of 2002 (one tumor in right lung). Surgery was initially ruled out because her pulmonary test results were poor (60%). The cancer was initially treated with radiation (Dr. Zhen). Surgery (lobe) was considered again during the summer of 2003 and her pulmonary test results were surprisingly better (90%). The surgery (8-22-03), however, indicated that the cancer had spread (middle right and left lungs) and nothing was removed. Mutsuko then underwent two weeks of IV chemotherapy and a couple months of an oral chemotherapy (drug called Iressa that initially looked promising). Four other sets of radiation treatments (lung, hip, spine, and brain) were performed - for pain control. The cancer in her brain caused her to fail quickly at the end.

Her funeral was held on Saturday, July 24^th at Trinity Church Interdenominational in Omaha. She was interred at Westlawn-Hillcrest Memorial Park in Omaha.

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A number of minor changes were made during May 2005 to reflect new information obtained from Mutsuko's sister Marie (e.g., Marie's birth date, Yutaka's birth date, correct spelling of Kiyoshi, Moleen/Elko vs. Reno NV, information on Sadao, cause of Tono's death).