Shiro Nagaoka, 96, born on February 18, 1925, in Torrance, CA passed away on July 28, 2021.  He resided in Torrance, CA for 35 years at the time of his passing.

Arrangements are under the direction of Fukui Mortuary, Los Angeles, CA.

Shiro Nagaoka was born on February 18, 1925, in North Torrance, California at the family farm home.  Although the family faced many hardships, he remembers fun childhood activities such as shooting rats at the local pig farm and mischievously startling young couples making out by shining a flashlight into their cars.

He was the third child in a family of six children (from oldest to youngest): brothers Mitsuo "Mits", Masayuki "Mas", Shiro, sister Harue, and brothers, Joe, and Jimmy.

Shiro's parents, Mokuji Nagaoka and Tamayo Takenaga were first generation (Isei) farmers from Hiroshima, Japan who moved to the United States during the early 1900's to seek a better life.  Growing up, he remembers his father telling him not to shame "haji" the family.  Advice he took very seriously throughout his life.

Shiro attended Perry Elementary School and Redondo Union High School in Redondo Beach, CA and Gardena High in Gardena, CA.  He excelled in sports, setting track records in high school.   He admitted he was not the best student scholastically, as he was more interested in other trivial pursuits such as going to the beach.  He was handed his high school diploma at Santa Anita Racetrack, where his family was first forced to move to during the WWII Japanese American internment.  Later in life he attended Pasadena City College and Long Beach State University.

Soon after graduating from High School, Shiro was drafted into the U.S. Army during WWII at the age of 19.  Ironically, he was drafted while interned behind barbed wire and guard towers at Rohwer Relocation Camp in Arkansas.   He had intended to volunteer but received his draft notice before he could do so.  He remembers his mother saying at the time, "This is your country, you should do what you feel is right, even though she felt as though she may never see him again. Shiro was in the 442 ^nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT), 3rd Battalion, I Company and held the rank of sergeant.  The all-Japanese American, 2nd generation (Nisei) 442nd RCT is the most decorated in U.S. military history, suffering a casualty rate of 314%.  Basic training was at Camp Blanding, Florida then to Camp Shelby, Mississippi waiting for deployment.  Shiro left for Europe on the Queen Mary, docking in Great Britain.  The first major assault he fought in was the Champagne Campaign, in Southern France near the French/Italian Border, called the "Frontier".  Next, he fought in the Gothic Line in Italy, near the small village of Azzano, north of Florence.  After walking miles in pitch blackness on a very steep 60% grade mountain trail to Mount Folgorito, a fierce battle at dawn ensued including artillery and mortar fire.  The Germans were surprised with a wake-up call. The Nisei soldiers killed and captured enemy soldiers and quickly seized gun positions. Shiro was wounded by shrapnel which garnered him a Purple Heart medal.

After military discharge, Shiro toured Europe for six-month sightseeing places he could only dream about as a kid including Switzerland, the Tower of Pisa and many other memorable places in Italy and France.  Upon returning to the United States to Mount Clemens, Michigan, he worked alongside family members at a rose nursery for four years. His parents decided to move the family back to California because they did not like to cold winters although Shiro himself was reluctant to move enjoying Michigan outdoor activities, such as ice fishing and hunting.

After moving back to California, Shiro met Bernice, his wife to be, introduced though his brother-in-law, Kuni Miyake.  Fortunately, he was not dissuaded by his unsuccessful attempt at a first date and persevered until they had a first date going bowling.  Shiro awkwardly proposed to Bernice ("…But I don't have much money.") after a year of dating and were married on Veteran's Day, November 11, 1954.  They chose Veteran's Day so that relatives at Atlantic Farms Market, where Bernice also worked, could attend.  Successfully married for 67 years, Shiro reflected humorously, ""I think I picked the right one or she picked the right one, one of the two.  She knew how to do everything.  I didn't have to teach her anything.  She knew how to cook, how to drive, she used to work on a farm".

Shiro possessed many skills and talents as reflected by the diverse jobs he had in his life.   He worked as a carpenter, building houses for Tsuno and Sons, was a self-employed gardener before finishing his career with the City of Gardena.  At the City of Gardena, he worked for 28 years working through the ranks as grounds man, parks lead man, parks foreman, and finally as parks superintendent for nine years.  Shiro was very proud of being promoted to parks superintendent after studying hard and passing his coworkers.  He retired in 1988.

After retiring, Shiro participated in his life-long passion for fishing included fishing trips to Alaska, Utah, and Mexico.  He also pursued other sports including golfing, bowling and later in life, gate ball and Tai Chi.  True to his athletic prowess, persistence, and dedication, he became a proficient student of Tai Chi.  Also, he loved watching many sports on television.

Shiro lived independently in their home in Torrance until his passing at age 96.  He is survived by his wife, Bernice, his sons Gary and Ron, daughter-laws, Eileen (Gary) and Sayuri (Ron) and granddaughters, Michaela, and Mari and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his brothers Mitsuo "Mits", Masayuki "Mas", Joe, and Jimmy, sister Harue, and sadly by his first child, Gail, who died at age 3 of a congenital heart defect.

Shiro was not one to share emotions and thoughts, which is typical of Nisei men, but nonetheless, his actions of tough love, hard work, decency, loyalty, resourcefulness, dedication, and excellence had a positive, lasting effect on all those whose lives he touched.  In a rare moment, he expressed some personal life-lesson philosophy to his sons:

"Treat other as you would treat yourself or kids. Don't treat anyone bad and do the best you can in anything you try.  You may fail but you did your best and what more can anybody ask. And don't get mad at anybody.  I used to get mad when I was younger.  I was a perfectionist.  Like when I built model airplanes and it didn't come out right, I would crumple it all up.  Frustration is I guess what you would call it.  I lost too many years of my life doing things over by being a perfectionist.  That's just a waste of life.  If things are just normal just go with it."

Private memorial services at Pacific Crest Cemetery to be scheduled later.