John Shigeru Musashi

John Shigeru Musashi passed away peacefully on February 11, 2014. He was the eldest of seven children born to Torakuma and Hajime Musashi, Japanese immigrant farmers who settled in the Coachella Valley. Born in Coachella, Calif. on November 8, 1917, he attended Oasis Elementary School and graduated from Coachella Valley High School in 1938. During his junior and senior years, he drove the rural school bus picking up students living south of the high school. During WWII after spending a short time in Poston, Ariz. Relocation Camp, he moved to the Midwest to work. He met and married Taka Hosaka of Mitchell, Nebraska in 1943. After the war ended he returned to California to re-start the family farm in Oasis, Calif. He spent most of his working years growing vegetables under the Musashi Bros label. His passions in life, aside from growing vegetables, were photography, fishing, and motorcycles. He loved his motorcycles! He is survived by his wife, Taka Musashi and two daughters, Sandy Musashi (Ron Day) of Santa Cruz, Calif. and Kathy Musashi (Rob Morin) of Camarillo, Calif., grandsons David JT Spindle of Bethesda, Md, Naiche Quevedo-Musashi of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, Akira Quevedo-Musashi and Julian C Quevedo of San Jose, Calif., great grandchildren Piper M Spindle, Archer J Spindle, Morgan L Quevedo-Musashi and Emmarie G Quevedo-Musashi. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Tayeko Musashi, Miyeko Musashi, Chiyeko Sakamoto and his brothers Minoru Musashi, Itaru Musashi and Masaru Musashi. A graveside service will be at 9:00 a.m on March 3, 2014, at Coachella Valley Cemetery, 82925 52nd Ave., Coachella, Calif. 92236. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made in his name to Odyssey House Hospice, ATTN: Amy Bridges, 36947 Cook St, Bldg 10, Ste 102, Palm Desert, CA 92211. FitzHenry-Wiefels, Palm Desert is entrusted with funeral arrangements.