James Hiomitsu Tanaka Obituary. Published by Bryan-Braker Funeral Home,
Fairfield, Calif.
Dr. James (Jimmy) Tanaka passed away peacefully at his
home in Fairfield, California, on August 25, 2021.
He was born in San
Luis Obispo, California, December 20, 1933.
He is survived by his wife,
Peggy Sue Tanaka; sister, June Tanaka; sister-in-law, Marge Tanaka; Two
stepsons, Anthony and Stephen Manis; daughter-in-law, Anna Manis;
grandchildren, Drew Manis and husband Ben, Carlyn Raphel, Matthew Manis,
Tanaka (Tana) Manis (his namesake), Connor Manis; nieces Laura Tanaka and
Ann Finney; nephews Donald Tanaka and wife Melanie, Richard Tanaka and wife
Ann; as well as several much-loved great nieces and nephews.
Jimmy and
his family were part of the Japanese American community that was
incarcerated during World War II, when they were removed from their farm in
California and sent to live in a horse stall at the Santa Anita Racetrack
until their camp, located in Rower, Arkansas, was completed and they were
relocated there. Jimmy's brother Roy volunteered from the camp and was
inducted into the US Army, and his uncle Kanami Kanazawa of Hawaii
volunteered and fought in the 442nd.
After the war, the Tanaka Family
moved to Philadelphia, where Jimmy began his long list of accomplishments
in Education and Sports. He served 22 years in the US Air Force, where he
coached Gymnastics and Judo at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
He served as an interpreter at the US Embassy in Japan, flew the C5
aircraft, and retired with honors as a Commissioned Officer. Upon
retirement he began his 38-year teaching career at Solano College, where he
taught and coached Gymnastics, Judo, Health & Fitness, and Self Defense.
When he was not teaching at the college, he spent his time teaching flying
and sailing, as well as owning his real estate business, Intercontinental
Realty.
Jimmy was never content to just learn the basics, and always
made sure to go the extra mile and learn enough to become a teacher or
instructor of any subject that interested him. In his personal life, he
loved to travel and made it his goal for he and his wife to travel to all
seven continents, as well as climb as many of the tallest mountains that
they could, which included the tallest peaks on five continents, and hiking
up to Base Camp of Mount Everest just a few years ago.
