Obituary of Ira Ota

Ira Ota was born Oct. 22, 1927 in Auburn, Washington, son of Kijiro and Nami Ota. His mother took him to Japan when he was three years old and left him to be raised by his grandmother for one year. He returned to America at age four but had to return to Japan again in 1936 because of the unfortunate death of his mother and his father's inability to raise Ira himself due to the demands of his job. His father worked for the railroads, which contributed to Ira's passion for steam engines and riding on trains, and later for vacations by car. He was raised by his Aunt Hina and older sister Emiko in Agenosho, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. To help the family, Ira at age 13 became an apprentice machinist working on fishing boat engines. These early skills and experience carried over to his work and passion for building things in his later years. At age 16, he joined the Japanese merchant marine to avoid being drafted into the Japanese army during World War II because he was an US citizen. He became first officer in 8 months. His first ship, Fusan Maru, was sunk by an American sea mine. Sixteen days after the United States dropped the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, Ira volunteered to take his new ship into Hiroshima to deliver sugar. When the war ended and during the US occupation of Japan, Ira became an American civilian aide, then later became the interpreter for Major Kennedy and his family. Ira returned to America with his younger brother Frank in 1947 with the help of Major Kennedy and money from his own family. The Ota family maintained contact with the Kennedys until the 1980s. Back in America, he worked in a variety of jobs, including seasonal agriculture for crops such as strawberries and nurseries growing flowers such as chrysanthemums. He started building greenhouses for nurseries which led him to become a carpenter's apprentice. He was drafted into the US Army because of the Korean War. Unfortunately, double pneumonia limited his army career to 51 days. After his honorable discharge he returned to construction, and became self-employed in 1952. Ira and his friend Rio Nakatsu were the first Japanese-Americans to become members of the Carpenters Union in the San Francisco Bay Area. He got his general contractor's license in August of 1961. Ira's company built a variety of structures, including custom homes, home modifications, schools, churches, small corporate and industrial buildings, and restaurants. Ira retired in 1983 due to complications of his broken back from another car accident, which compounded the back injuries he originally sustained when someone collided with him in 1960. Ira met Lily Yuriko Hirai in San Francisco; they fell in love and were married in 1954. Their first child, Allan, was born in April 1955. Their second child, Dale, was born in February 1958. He lived in Palo Alto, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and, finally in Sunnyvale. He passed away peacefully while his son and daughter-in-law, Allan and Becky, held his hands on December 29, 2011. Ira will be greatly missed by many individuals who love him and/or knew him. Ira Ota, preceded in death by his wife Lily Yuriko, beloved father to Allan and Dale, devoted grandfather to Kelly, Emily, William, and Robert, and father-in-law to Becky and Julianne, passed away peacefully on December 29 at home in the company of Allan and his wife Becky. Siblings, Emiko Ota and family of Lakewood, and Frank Ota and family of Los Angeles, and extended family in both the U.S. and Japan also survive him. He will be remembered for devotion to his family and service to his friends and community. He was a general building contractor and a mentor to many in this industry. We will all miss his presence. Family and friends are invited to a viewing scheduled from 4 to 7 pm on January 13, 2012 at Spangler Mortuary (Los Altos, CA), and a funeral service scheduled at 11 am on January 14 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, (Palo Alto, CA).




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