John Shigeru Mizono

John Shigeru Mizono

Surrounded by his family, John Shigeru Mizono passed away peacefully on Jan 12, 2014.

John was born in San Francisco on October 17, 1923, and raised in SF by Issei parents Saichi and Matsuyo Mizono.  John attended Mission High School before his unfortunate internment at Topaz, Utah alongside other Japanese Americans during World War II. Upon release from Topaz, John spent time in Chicago and other cities in the Midwest.  He also served honorably in the military from 1945-46.

John met the woman of his dreams Mae Shidawara in San Francisco and their relationship blossomed in the internment camps.  They later married in San Francisco on November 16, 1947.  Neither John nor Mae had the opportunity to attend college, as both began working from an early age to support their respective families.  John joined his brothers in the family food business, Azumaya Tofu, while Mae worked a series of jobs including housekeeping until she became an assistant controller at the Emporium department store.

Together, they raised four sons, Greg, Robert, Gary and Ken.  Through hard work, they created a stable and supportive environment allowing their sons greater opportunities.  As a result of their unyielding encouragement and support, each son has pursued both rewarding and successful careers.

John's wife Mae passed away in December 2003 after an extended illness from a major stroke.  John missed his wife and our mother dearly.  He often wondered why he had such a generous and long life while Mae's life was cut so tragically short.

During his final years, John endeavored to remain independent and not burden his children with caretaking.  He remained active and enjoyed occassional visits to the race track, trips to Reno and movie going. Until his death, John was known as kind, compassionate, and an individual who always treated others with respect.

John and Mae were blessed with a grateful family:

Son Greg and wife Jina, son Robert, wife Marisa and grandsons Maximillan and Nicholas, son Gary, wife Lisa, grandson Clark and grandaugther Kyle, son Ken, wife Mary and grandsons Michael and Matthew.

At his request, no funeral services are planned.  In lieu of flowers or Koden, donations can be made to Kimochi, Inc to support senior services.