Helen Hatsume Obazawa was born in Sierra Madre, California on August 10, 1920. Her parents were Charles Masaichi and Kotuyu Teruyama Nomura and her older brothers were Shoso Nomura or Sho and Chalres Mitsuo Nomura or Michy. After growing up in Sierra Madre, Helen went to the University of Washington where she met her husband Ray H. Obazawa. After the war she returned to Sierra Madre and worked as the school cafeteria manager at the Sierra Madre Elementary School. She was made an honorary life member of the Sierra Madre Parent Teachers Association and volunteered at the Sierra Madre Historical Preservation Society. Sho joined the Army to avoid being sent to the internment camp and was sent to India and China to gather intelligence. After the war ended, Sho stayed in U.S. occupied Japan where he met his wife and later returned to California. Michy married a woman from South Pasadena and had a baby just before being sent to the internment camp. When the opportunity arose to leave camp, Michy took his wife and child to work in Chicago, Illinois. They lived there for 14 months before returning to California.
From the description of Oral history interview with Helen Obazawa, Shoso Nomura, and Charles Mitsuo Nomura, 1989 Apr. 8. (Sierra Madre Public Library). WorldCat record id: 54794687
