Obituary of Hisako Oto

Hisako Oto was born in Isleton, CA, on March 30, 1923, to Isotaro and Hitono Hirose. She passed away peacefully in Lodi, CA, on March 14, 2019, at the age of 95. Hisako was the 6th child of a family of 4 boys and 5 girls. She attended grammar school in Isleton and Courtland, CA, and graduated from Courtland Joint Union High School. In 1941, during World War II, at the age of 18 years, Hisako and her family were interned at the Gila River War Relocation Camp in Arizona, where she worked as a waitress and married Takeshi Oto on June 1, 1944. Shortly thereafter, Takeshi and Hisako left camp and moved to Chicago, IL, where their first child, Ronald, was born and where Hisako worked as a clerk/typist at International Harvest Co. In October of 1945, the family relocated to Walnut Grove, CA, where sons Lynn and Dennis were born. In 1953, they moved to San Mateo, CA, where they raised their family. Hisako worked as a housekeeper and later at Lawrence School for 18-1/2 years preparing lunches for the students. She resided in San Mateo until 2015 when she moved to Lodi to live with her son and daughter-in-law, Lynn and JoAnn. She was an active member of the San Mateo Buddhist Temple and the Buddhist Women’s Association. She was honored many times for her dedication to the temple and as a Dharma School teacher for 50+ years. Hisako enjoyed cooking, music, and socializing with her family and friends. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren and always made sure she had plenty of toys for them to play with, as well as treats to eat. She also enjoyed her long-time relationship with her women’s group, The Tanoshimi Ladies, who would get together on the 2nd Saturday of every month for breakfast or lunch, and occasionally take trips together. Hisako was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 61 years, Takeshi; and her sons Ronald and Lynn. She is survived by her son, Dennis; daughters-in-law Gayle and JoAnn; sisters Fumiko Ishida and Yasuko Harano; 5 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. She will be remembered as a caring and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt, and friend. The family is extremely grateful to Juliet Olmido and Nineta Abbot for their loving care and support. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 20, 2019, at 10:00 a.m., at the San Mateo Buddhist Temple, 2 South Claremont Street, San Mateo, CA.