OSHIMA, GEORGE MASARU, 95, passed away in San Francisco, California, on November 3, 2016. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend.

George was born in Watsonville, CA on May 8, 1921, to Katsutaro and Kame Oshima. He attended Watsonville Union High School where he earned a Varsity Letter for his participation on the varsity basketball team and a scholarship achievement pin.

During World War II, he was evacuated with his family to the Poston internment camp, located near Parker, Arizona. George worked in the Fire Station taking care of all office duties.

After being released from the internment camp in 1945, the Oshima family returned to Watsonville.

In 1944, George was able to leave the internment camp and went to Columbia, Missouri to attend the University of Missouri as a Business major and earned a Bachelor’s Administration degree in 1946. After graduation, he worked briefly in Columbia and for a short time in St. Louis then returned home to Watsonville and started his accounting career. After his return to the Bay Area, he met Alice Iwaki and in 1950, they married.

He earned his CPA license in 1961 and shortly after, he opened his own office in San Francisco. He built a successful sole-proprietorship CPA practice that provided him with sustained purpose, accomplishment and freedom until he retired in 2007.

His interests included attending services at the Buddhist Church, volunteering his accounting services at the Buddhist Church and JACL, photography, taking his young sons to Giants games and spending his weekends gardening, making house repairs and lying out in the backyard on sunny days while listening to the Giants and 49er games. George’s drive to succeed, strength to overcome obstacles along with emphasizing the importance of a college education was instilled in his children.

George will forever be missed by his four children – Ronald, wife Jeannie; Gerald; Kathleen Fazekas, husband Tom; and Suzanne – and grandchildren Ryan, Derek, Sidney, Dillon, and Bailey.

George was predeceased by his wife Alice and his brother Kazu. George had a strong relationship with his brother and provided guidance to him when they were growing up.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in George’s name, payable to the Buddhist Church of San Francisco.