Tsutomu Kawaratani

Tsutomu Kawaratani was born on December 6, 1924, in San Juan Capistrano, California, to Otokichi and Hisa (Murata) Kawaratani. He passed away peacefully at home with family on March 4, 2026.

He grew up helping his family farm in the San Clemente and Trabuco Canyon area. His father and brothers would build their house, dismantle it when leases ended, and rebuild at the next farm, teaching Tsutomu resourcefulness and a wide range of repair skills. Determined to pursue a different path, he studied diligently throughout his school years. At Tustin High School, he played three years as a basketball guard on team D. He entered UCLA’s engineering program at age 16, but at 17 was incarcerated at the Poston 1 internment camp in Arizona. After his release, he served in the U.S. Army in civil engineering, working as a typist. With an honorable discharge and support from the GI Bill, he returned to UCLA and later completed his studies at UC Berkeley, earning a BS and a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering, specializing in two-phase fluid flow.

Tsutomu developed a lifelong love of fishing at age ten, beginning with simple outings near San Clemente using a six-foot bamboo pole. He and his family would dig for clams, pry abalone from rocks, and catch octopus by coaxing them from their holes. After marrying Atsuko Mary Rose Furuya, who had just earned her BS in nursing, the couple drove their new Ford from Michigan to California for their honeymoon. In Wilmington, Tsutomu worked at the Richfield Oil Company refinery, where his chemical engineering team designed lubricants and liquid detergents from refinery byproducts. He later contributed to the merger discussions between Richfield and Atlantic Oil that created ARCO.

In retirement, Tsutomu and Atsuko took up ballroom dancing, and a video of him dancing at age 97 remains a cherished record of his enduring vitality. He also enjoyed golf with the Nisei Golf Group in tournaments and continued deep-sea and lake fishing throughout his life, sharing many memorable outings with his children. Tsutomu is survived by his children Takeshi, Yumi Kushi (Takashi), and Sumi Kawaratani (Lee), and grandsons Ryan and Justin Kushi.