ARAI, BEN, 89, a resident of Fremont, Calif., passed away on Nov. 23, 2012.

Ben was born on Oct. 21, 1923 in Sacramento, Calif. to Shigezo and Haki Arai. He graduated from Sacramento High in 1941 and was interned during World War II with his family at the Tule Lake War Relocation Center and later, at Topaz, Utah. After the war, he returned to the San Francisco Bay Area to work at the US Nursery in San Leandro with his uncle, Unosuke Sasaki, and his brother, Shigeki Arai. Ben and Shigeki continued to operate the nursery together until Shigeki’s death in 1997.

Ben was preceded in death by his wife, Hanako; and sister, Haruye Alice Arai. He is survived by his sons, Kenneth (and wife, Mary), Alan and John; granddaughters, Natalie and Kiara; and nieces, Joyce Lau (Harlan, Nicholas and Daniel), Jeannie McClure (William, Susan and Brock McCullouch, Martha and Samuel) and Shari DeBoer (Darrel).
Ben was a longtime member of the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church. He will be greatly missed.

A memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 16, 2012 at the Southern Alameda County Buddhist Church in Union City. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer Society.