George Otsuki

November 10, 1919 - December 31, 2020

George Otsuki, 101, passed away peacefully on December 31, 2020. George was born on November 10, 1919 to Kiyoji and Hama Takamoto Otsuki. He was the fourth of nine children. Born in Gilroy and raised in Santa Cruz, George worked on the family farm until they were evacuated to Posten, Arizona in 1942. He married Sanae Mita in 1944 a few months before being inducted in the Army. He served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and was stationed in Italy and France during the war. He earned a Bronze Star and was discharged in 1946. In 2011 he, along with all others in the 442nd RCT, were flown to Washington D.C. and awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for the 442’s highly decorated military service during World War II. After the war, he teamed with his brother, Thomas, and started raising strawberries, primarily in Salinas. After almost 40 years of successful strawberry farming, he retired in 1985. George liked to dabble in stocks, play a little poker or blackjack, and watch the San Francisco Giants and 49ers on TV, but his real passions were strawberry farming and getting together with family. George and Sanae lived in Salinas for almost 57 years before moving to Walnut Creek in 2015 to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Sanae, his wife of 76 years, passed away in June of this year. George and Sanae are now reunited once again. George is preceded in death by his wife, Sanae, and his siblings Haruko (Iwanaga), Iku (Yamaguchi), Issie, Dorothy (Oshida), Thomas, and Rita (Koyama/Wada). He is survived by his children Carol (Steve) Hoover and Lee (Debbie) Otsuki, his grandchildren Janelle & Lindsey Otsuki, and siblings Rose (Wong) and Gladys (Bud) Otsuki. Due to the current pandemic conditions, the family will hold a private memorial service at a later date. Donations can be made in his honor to the Lincoln Avenue Presbyterian Church (536 Lincoln Avenue, Salinas, CA 93901).