Satoru Sakuma
What do you remember about Satoru? Share your stories and photos here, and invite others to come share their memories.
Satoru (Sat) Sakuma, 96, passed away peacefully in his sleep on May 17, 2022. Sat was born October 28, 1925, on Bainbridge Island, to Takeo and Nobu Sakuma. WA. He was one of 10 children, eight brothers and two sisters. Sat attended school and worked on the family strawberry farm until the evacuation in 1942. Executive Order 9066 required all persons of Japanese descent, including US citizens, to be evacuated out of certain zones and relocated to internment camps. Bainbridge Island was the first zone evacuated, the Sakuma family were one of the first families relocated to internment in Manzanar, California. At the time of evacuation, Sat was 15 and a freshman in high school. After the first year in camp, the family was relocated to Minidoka, Idaho to join the remaining Japanese Americans that were evacuated from Washington. This is where Sat first met his future wife, Kazuko (Grace) Arima. Grace's family was interned in an adjacent block in Minidoka?Grace's family returned to Idaho after the war. In the fall of 1944, at the age of 18, Sat was drafted into the United States Army. With both apprehension and excitement, he boarded the train to Fort Blanding, Florida for basic training. Sat served his tour of duty with the segregated Japanese American 442nd combat team in the European Theatre, both in the infantry and as a radio operator. Additionally, two of Sat's brothers also served in the 442nd as three other brothers served in Military Intelligence during the war. By the end of the war, the 442nd infantry was the highest decorated army unit for its size and length of service in US military history. The mantra of the 442nd was "Go for Broke", as they put everything on the line both in the war abroad and as well as the fight against racism and discrimination. After the war, the family moved to the Skagit Valley where the older Sakuma brothers had already started farming Strawberries?Sat along with his five brothers started Sakuma Bros. Farms, which continues today, as the legacy is continued by the third and fourth generation of Sakuma Family members. Under Sat and his brother's leadership, the Sakuma Family business developed a reputation of excellence in the small fruit industry and as leaders in the community. After returning to the Skagit Valley, Sat and Grace were married on December 6, 1954, and had four children who were raised on the family farm. Sat continued to work on the farm throughout his career even keeping his desk at the office until the very end. Sat loved attending sporting events with friends and family. He also had a passion for gardening that he meticulously maintained well into his 90's before recruiting help to keep up with a beautiful Dahlia and Daffodil display in addition to a robust vegetable and fruit offering. Sat loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and religiously attended all their sporting and extracurricular events. Spending time with family meant everything to him. Sat will be greatly missed by all those who knew him. Sat is survived by his two sisters, Lucy Ota and Lillian Aoyama four children, Bryan (Barb) Sakuma of Burlington, Becky (Ken) Ogata of Seattle, Carol (Cliff) Schroeder of Anacortes, and Glenn (Kimberly) Sakuma of Burlington; fifteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. Preceding his death were his Wife Grace; parents Takeo and Nobu; and 7 brothers. Viewing will be June 2, 2022, from 11:00am to 4:00pm at Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA A memorial service will be held June 3, 2022, at 11:30am at Bethany Covenant Church, Mount Vernon, WA. Memorial donations in Sat's name can be made, in lieu of flowers, to the Skagit Valley Hospital foundation, Skagit County Fire District 5-Allen Dept, Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community (BIJAC), Ashely Gardens. Please visit www.hawthornefh.com to share your thoughts and memories and sign the online guest register. Arrangements are under the care of Hawthorne Funeral Home, Mount Vernon, WA.