Mutsuo Kuramoto passed away on Dec. 2, 2015 at his home in Long Beach. Born on July 19, 1930 in East San Pedro (Terminal Island), Calif. to Sadataro and Haru (nee Marumoto) Kuramoto, he was interned at Manzanar and graduated from Bridgeton High School near Seabrook Farms, New Jersey, where he excelled academically and competed as a pole vaulter.
He earned his BS in chemistry at Rutgers University on an ROTC scholarship. After he completed a master’s degree in chemistry at Ohio State University, he was stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where he worked as a research scientist. He later was employed as an air pollution research specialist at the Air Resources Board in Los Angeles. He enjoyed swimming, spearfishing, and diving for abalone.
He is survived by his older sister Tomoyo Kuramoto, his younger brother Tomio Kuramoto, eight nieces and nephews, and numerous grandnephews and grandnieces.