NAKASHIMA, JACK HAJIME, 89, was born on May 1, 1929 in Tacoma, Washington and passed away peacefully on July 6, 2018 at his home in Walnut Creek, Calif. During WWII at the age of 13, Jack and his family were incarcerated at Tule Lake and Topaz. After the war, Jack graduated from Galileo High School in San Francisco. He attended City College of SF and went on to earn a master’s degree in psychology from San Francisco State University. While studying at City College, Jack met his future wife Sumi Kanaya. They were married for 64 years and had two sons, Steve and Dave.
Jack served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War in Fort Sheridan, Illinois. When he returned to the Bay Area, he worked for the San Pablo, Oakland, and Mt. Diablo school districts as a school psychologist before retiring in 1990. Jack was active in the redress movement and helped start the JACL chapter in the Diablo Valley area. He also gave educational talks about his camp experience to a wide range of audiences.
Jack will be lovingly remembered by his extended family and dear friends for his quick wit and corny jokes, teaching his numerous nieces and nephews to play pinochle, and for being a huge music aficionado. He imparted his love of jazz to his family and friends. His home was always filled with music and his tastes ranged from Sinatra to bossa nova and big band music. Jack is survived by his wife Sumi, sons Steve and Dave, daughter-in-law Debbie Fong, granddaughters Gabriela and Camila, and 13 nieces and nephews.
A celebration of Jack’s life will be held on August 19, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. at Heather Farm Community Center, Lakeside Room, 301 North San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek. Celebratory attire welcome, aloha shirts encouraged. Memorial donations may be made to the Japanese American Citizens League https://jacl.org/ or the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation https://pkdcure.org/.