Rose Nomachi Kinaga passed peacefully on December 27, at the age of 102 at home surrounded by family and close friends. The daughter of Harunosuke Nomachi and Miyoshi Yano from Shikoku, Rose was born in Winslow, Arizona. She grew up in Hollywood before she and her family, including her brother Jim, were incarcerated, first at Santa Anita Race Track, then at Heart Mountain, where she met her future husband, Tom Kinaga (San Jose), as respective presidents of Heart Mountain’s Boys and Girls clubs. Rose supported Tom’s decision to become one of the first volunteers for the 442 RCT from Heart Mountain. Rose and her family were relocated to Michigan, where her father worked as a custodian at the University of Michigan.
Tom and Rose were reunited after the war and married in Las Vegas. They moved to the Los Angeles area and lived in various neighborhoods (Pasadena, Venice, South L.A.) before settling in Palos Verdes Estates. Tom was an aerospace engineer (UC Berkeley, Stanford and UCLA). Rose attended Pasadena City College before becoming a full-time home maker. Tom and Rose were active in the 442 RCT community and enjoyed many trips to Hawaii and throughout the country for the 442 reunions.
Rose enjoyed ikebana, and following a long line of educators on her mother’s side of the family, she became an English tutor to children of Japanese auto executives living in Palos Verdes. She also enjoyed volunteering at the Little Company of Mary hospital.
Following his retirement, Tom obtained additional degrees in Asian American studies from California State University Long Beach (CSULB). Rose and Tom shared a passion for learning and later enjoyed attending seminars hosted by higher education institutions.
When Rose turned 102, the City of Palos Verdes Estates honored her with a parade and special certificate presented by the mayor.
Rose will be interred at the VA’s cemetery in West L.A. to join Tom (passed on in 2010). She and Tom had three children (Mary, Patricia and Robert), nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
A full obituary is available at www.fukuimortuary.com.
In lieu of flowers or koden, the family requests donations to the California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Asian and Asian American Studies Department (AAAS) General Fund for a special fund in honor of Rose and Tom Kinaga. On his retirement with Rose’s blessing, Thomas Kinaga received his second B.A. and M.A. from CSULB in Asian studies.
To give online, go to: https://giveto.csulb.edu/cn/(S(x0xcmjv4a1fflanhpisr0ni0))/
Step 1: Scroll and select “College of Liberal Arts”
Step 2: Scroll and select “Asian and Asian American Studies Department”
Step 3: Select “Asian and Asian American Studies Department,” the first option for general giving.
Step 4: In the next page, please write in the note section “in memory of Rose and Thomas Kinaga” to track the gift.
To give by check, please make the check payable to the Long Beach State Foundation and fill out a CSULB Gift-Pledge Form to track the gift.
www.fukuimortuary.com (213) 626-0441