Midori Komoto

Midori Komoto
1922 - 2014
Midori Komoto, 92, of Ontario, passed away August 14, 2014, in Ontario. Midori Komoto was born on May 6, 1922, at home in Portland, Oregon, to Yashichiro and Kaoru Hayashi Funatake. She was the second daughter and her siblings were Tomiko, Taichiro, George, and Mary (died at age 3 1/2 from complications of scarlet fever). She was moved from the University of Oregon School of Nursing to the University of Colorado School of Nursing due to the forced removal by the government of all people of Japanese descent from the West Coast. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing in 1945. She worked briefly at Denver Childrens Hospital, and then she moved to Detroit to visit her sister for a short time. She also worked in Detroit while she was there. When evacuation orders were rescinded, she moved back to Portland to join her parents who were re-establishing their florist- greenhouse business. Brother Tai's friend, Joe Komoto, came from Eastern Oregon for a visit and to buy a tractor tire. Joe and Midori became friends and were married on November 30, 1946. They settled first in Nyssa, next in Whitley Bottom, Idaho, and then in Ontario. She served as vice-president and president of the American Association of University Women, Ontario branch. Midori's active interest in art was rekindled when Treasure Valley Community College was established with Allen 'Pete' Stark as instructor. She took classes from him in charcoal drawing, water coloring, and oils where she excelled. Other instructors taught her calligraphy, ceramics, and stained glass work. In the 1970 Portland juried show for artists, one of her paintings was selected to be displayed in the Portland Art Museum. She was an assistant Sunday school teacher to the kindergarten class at the First Methodist Church many years ago. She was a Brownie Troop leader, Girl Scout leader, and an assistant Cub Scout leader. As a 4-H leader, she gave lessons to her group of girls on sewing, cooking, knitting, and basket weaving. She delivered Meals on Wheels and was a volunteer who read to students at Aiken Elementary. At the former Community United Methodist Church, Midori volunteered to help with the annual Harvest Bazaar by making kakimochi, sushi, and other food items. The Komoto Family housed an American Field Service student from Peru for an entire school year. Besides caring for her family of four children and her husband, she had a garden where she raised a variety of vegetables and cherries which she canned every season. In addition, she enjoyed growing outdoor flowers and houseplants, cooking, baking, crocheting, tatting, exercising, swim aerobics, embroidery, dancing, photography, reading, documenting her family's history, mushroom hunting, playing piano, attending local community concerts, and traveling to places within the U.S. and other countries. For many years, she entered the Malheur County Fair in various divisions and was awarded many ribbons. Midori was a supporter of many community projects such as the Hikaru Mizu Japanese Garden at the Four Rivers Cultural Center where she donated many of the beautiful garden plants, garden statues, and the beautiful princess. She also generously donated to the Malheur Experiment Station. In 2008, Midori was awarded an honorary University of Oregon degree. She was one of twenty Japanese-American students whose education at the university was cut short in 1942 after the bombing of Pearl Harbor when they were forced to leave the state. On September 5, 2013, the University of Colorado College of Nursing Alumni Association presented Midori with the Pathfinders Award. The award was for overcoming ethnic adversity and discrimination during and after World War II and setting an example for future generations of nursing students. Midori was a very supportive, nurturing, caring, and loving person. We love you and will miss you very much, Mom-Grandma-Great Grandma! She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Joe; daughter Mary Jo; son-in-law Jim Lum; siblings Tomiko Iwata, Taichiro, and George; and brother-in-law Kazmo Kazuo Komoto and his wife Dorothy. She is survived by her children: Judy Lum, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Bob (Janet) Komoto, Ontario, Oregon; Marcia (Ron) Kusaka, Honolulu, Hawaii; Melanie (Wayne) Gilbert, Aloha, Oregon; granddaughter Reimi Lum; grandsons Jordan (Amanda Hendrix) Komoto, Ann Arbor, Michigan; Harrison Gilbert, Aloha, Oregon; and great granddaughter Eleanor Komoto, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Visitation will be held Thursday, August 28, 2014, from 5pm to 7pm at Lienkaemper Chapel in Ontario. A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, August 29, 2014, at the Four Rivers Cultural Center in Ontario from 5pm to 8pm; friends and family are welcome to attend. Condolences may be sent to the family at http://www.lienkaemper-thomason.com/.