GEORGE TANBARA M.D.

1922 - 2017

George Tanbara, M.D. George Tanbara was born June, 1922 in Portland, OR to Tadamasa and Tamayo Tanbara, who both immigrated from Japan in the early 1900's. After attending grade school, George spent one year in Japan and then moved to Los Angeles. He graduated from Belmont High School at the age of 17 as the class salutatorian. George attended the University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy from 1939-1942. With the outbreak of WWII and the incarceration of 110,000 Japanese Americans, George was imprisoned at Santa Anita Assembly Center where he taught 7th grade math. He left to attend the University of Idaho, Southern Branch (now Idaho State University) and received his BS in Pharmacy in 1943. Unable to find a pharmacy job due to discrimination against the Japanese Americans, George joined his mother and sister in Heart Mountain Relocation Camp in Wyoming where he worked as a pharmacist. It was there that he met Kimiko (from Tacoma) and it was love at first sight. George was drafted into the US Army and served from 1945 1947 as a combat medic and after the war was trained as a counterintelligence agent, serving one year in Japan in 1946. George returned to the states to attend the University of Minnesota where he received his MD in 1951. During this time he worked 20 hours per week as a pharmacist and was able to graduate debt free. He continued his long distance correspondence with Kimi and luckily landed an internship at the King County Hospital in Seattle. George and Kimi were married in 1951 and lived in Seattle while George completed his residency at Children's Orthopedic Hospital (now Children's) in 1954. Upon completion of his residency and with no offers of employment due to discrimination, George moved to Tacoma (to the delight of Kimi) and opened his solo practice in Office #30 in the former Tacoma Medical Center. In 1969, recognizing the need for medical services for low income residents of Pierce County, George along with Jim Walton, Dr. Eugene Wiegman, Lyle Quasim, Tom Hilyard and Mel Jackson, organized volunteer physicians, pharmacists, nurses, medical assistants, Explorer Scouts from the Medical troop at Tacoma General and opened a clinic on the eastside of Tacoma at Lister Elementary school and a clinic in the Hilltop in the basement of St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing. These two clinics, which provided services to anyone in need 1 to 2 nights per week, were the beginning of Community Health Care (CHC). Today CHC has 5 locations (including the Kimi and George Tanbara, MD clinic in Salishan) and served more than 44,000 patients in 2016. George continued his solo pediatric practice and in 1980, joined by Dr. Lawrence A. Larson, they formed Pediatrics Northwest (PNW). Today PNW is comprised of 27 providers working out of 4 offices. Although retired from active patient care in 2006, George continued to go to the office almost daily until December of last year. His guiding principle of always putting the needs of patients first resonates through all levels of PNW. George was known throughout the community as a giver of his time, finances and knowledge. He was a lifetime Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and of the WA Chapter; lifetime member of the AMA, founder of the Puget Sound Pediatric Society, member of WA State Medical Association, Past President (1981) and Past Secretary of the Pierce County Medical Society, Past President and founding member of the SW WA Ped Society, Past President (1960, 1984) of Mary Bridge Children's Hospital. George held several appointed positions including WA State Board of Health (2 terms), WA State Board of Medical Examiners (2 terms), Interim Director of the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department, initial member of the Tacoma Relations (now Human Rights) Commission (2 terms), and Member of Pierce County Ethics Committee (2 terms). George was involved in many community service organizations including: Tacoma Buddhist Temple, Community Health Care, United Way of Pierce County (Campaign Chair 2001), Pierce County Oral Health Coalition, Head Start and Preschool of Tacoma Public Schools, Pierce County Immunization Committee, Tacoma Urban League, NAACP, Tacoma Urban Network, American Leadership Forum, Chinese Reconciliation Project Foundation, Asian Forum, Tacoma Pierce County Health Department, Health Department Urban Health Initiative, Community Health Care Delivery System (now Community Health Care), Children's Home Society, Medina Society, Catholic Children's Services, Children's Industrial Home, Pierce County Poison Information Center, Pierce County Tuberculosis Clinic, Hilltop Day Nursery, Tacoma Pierce County Commission on Children, Youth and Families, Tacoma Pierce County Board of Health, Infant Mortality Task Force for the March of Dimes, Charles Drew Sickle Cell and Health Board, Minority Health Coalition, Language Bank Advisory Committee for Tacoma Community House, School Developmental Council for the creation of McCarver Magnet School and Volunteer Busing Program for Tacoma Public Schools, Mt. Rainier Council of the Boy Scouts of America, Pierce County Chapter of Washington Chapter of American Heart Association and others. Throughout the years, George received numerous awards: Hall of Fame Award, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, 2016 Community Service Award, Allen AME Black History Unity Dinner, 2015 Relief Sculpture Honoring Physician Leaders, Multicare Health Systems, 2014 Initial Kimi and George Tanbara Humanitarian Award, Community Health Care, 2004 Community Service Award, Boys and Girls Clubs of Pierce County, 1996 St. Francis Humanitarian Award, Sisters of St. Francis, 1992 Golden Acorn Award, Elementary Division, Tacoma PTSA Council, 1977 Initial Community Service Award, Rotary Club of Tacoma, 1974 Initial Humanitarian Award, Pierce County Medical Society Distinguished Citizen Award, Municipal League of Tacoma Pierce County, 1974 Community Service Award, Washington State Medical Association, 1971 Community Service Award, Tacoma Urban League, 1971 The Silver Beaver Award, Mt. Rainier Council, Boy Scouts of America, 1968 In addition to community service and medicine, George's other passion was tennis. When George was 12 he found a discarded tennis racquet. This started a long career in tennis, which included 3 letters in high school and 3 varsity letters from the University of Southern California, where he played #6. In 1942 there was a curfew on all Japanese Americans but General Dewitt, Commander of the Pacific Coast, wrote an order allowing George to play his match against UCLA, which the family assumes he won because he is listed as one the of USC All-Time Letter Winners in Men's Tennis, 1942. In 1954 as a guest of Dr. Bud Bader, George played at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club and then joined the club with a recommendation from Ted Haley. He enjoyed playing with many members, including several youth from as early as 5 years of age. George played tennis every Wednesday afternoon, every Sunday and most club tournaments for nearly 50 years. George also traveled extensively in the US participating in many USTA tournaments reaching a ranking of 11th nationally in the super senior division and earned a USTA Silver Ball. He also traveled abroad and made many friends through the American Medical Tennis Association and World Medical Tennis Society. When asked why he was involved with so many organizations, George responded, "As a Japanese American, I had been excluded for so long - that when the first group asked me to join, I was so thrilled I said yes and then others followed." George was also very active in the Tacoma Buddhist Temple, of which, Kimi's father was one of the founders. George recognized the importance of advocating for the youth of the temple. He coached the boys and girls basketball teams, which played competitively in local leagues. He assisted the Boys Scout Troop leader and was proud of the fact that all scouts achieved Eagle Scout status. The Temple provided a great social outlet and George was ever thankful of the warm reception he received from Kimi's friends when he moved to Tacoma. Even with all his outside activities, George always placed family as his first priority. Family dinners were always around the table with wonderful meals prepared by Kimi. All members were always present with plenty of lively conversation. George encouraged his children to take advantage of all opportunities and he provided for a very fulfilling, loving and nurturing home. He supported his children in all their endeavors with positive thoughts and encouragement. Last year, when asked what he considered to be his greatest accomplishment in his 90+ years, George quickly responded, "marrying Kimi". When he lost the love of his life and companion of 65 years, earlier this year in March, George seemed to lose all interest in life. If a person can die of a broken heart, that is what the family believes happened to George. On July 1st, he passed away very unexpectedly, but very peacefully, in his home, surrounded by family and relatives. George is survived by his children: Gregory Tanbara (Barbara), Diane Taniguchi (Harold), Susan Brahm (Jerry) and Merilee Tanbara. He also has 4 grandchildren: Madison, Eleanor, George and Mia. He is preceded in death by his wife, Kimi; and sister, Yoshie Bhang. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 5, 2017 at 2:00 pm at the Greater Tacoma Convention Center, 1500 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA 98402. Please RSVP to the Tanbara family at TanbaraMemorial@gmail.com In 1974 when George received the Arthur Wickens Community Service Award, he said, "We know that each race, culture, religion or nation has produced great men. With this knowledge, individuals can build faith, trust and confidence in other individuals and a better understanding should be obtained. Rather than struggle for dominance, let that effort be used to create harmony". In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to the organizations listed above or one of your choice.