Susumu Mayemura was born on July 6, 1941, in Los Angeles, California passed away May 18, 2025. His parents, Saiji Mayemura and Kumiko Kawabata, immigrated to America from Kagoshima, Japan. He was the third of seven children. Saiji worked as a farmer and established his own farm and family life in Inglewood, California.
On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, prompting the United States to declare war. Following Executive Order No. 9066, all individuals of Japanese ancestry were forced into internment camps. In 1942, the Mayemura family was first sent to Tule Lake and later relocated to Poston an internment camp located in a desert area of the Navajo Reservation in southern Arizona. At that time, the family included Nob (age 3), Susumu (age 2), and Terumi, who was born at Tule Lake.
Before the end of the war, several states began allowing interned families to leave the camps to work as seasonal crop pickers. The family moved to Utah, where Susumu’s sister was born in Bear River. They lived and worked in Utah until the war ended and the internment centers were closed. Around 1946, the government permitted Japanese American families to return to California. Together with several other families, the Mayemuras caravanned back and eventually settled in Lawndale.
Susumu started school at Roosevelt Elementary in September 1947. In 1951, they moved to Torrance, where he attended Perry Elementary. In 1954, they moved again to Gardena, where he completed elementary school at Amestoy Elementary. They later moved to LaSalle Avenue, and he attended Peary Junior High School and graduated from Gardena High School. In 1959, he attended El Camino College and later graduated from California State University with a degree in mechanical engineering.
He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served from 1967 to 1969, stationed in Germany for two years.
Throughout Susumu’s life, he was fortunate to maintain life-long friendships with James Yokota, Tom Okada, Sus “Chooch” Iwamasa, Mike Horii, and Chiiho Terada.
He married Anna Karolewski, and they built their family life in Laguna Hills. Family was the most important part of his life. Their children Mark, Stacey and Amy and seven grandchildren all lived nearby. Susumu spent many happy years babysitting his grandchildren, who lovingly called him “Ji-chan.”
During the summers, he worked at North American Aviation in El Segundo and at Miniature Metal Forming Company in Torrance. His full-time career began at Teledyne Semiconductor and concluded with his retirement from Northrop Grumman.
His hobbies included fishing and duck hunting. He shared many enjoyable fishing and hunting trips with close friends.
Funeral service will be held June 12, 2025, 11:30 a.m. at Gardena Buddhist Church, 1517 166th St., Gardena, CA 90247.