Mary and George Maruyama Photograph Collection

George Maruyama was born to Chikano and Katsujiro Maruyama on May 5, 1918 in Salinas, California. In his youth, George spent ten years studying and living in Japan. Shortly after Pearl Harbor was attacked, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt authorized United States Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942. This order led to the forced evacuations of individuals of Japanese descent from designated “military zones” located mostly along the West Coast. While most of the Maruyama family was swept up in the evacuation and sent to Poston Relocation Center in Arizona, George served in the United States Army.

After the war, George held several positions including that of a camera repairman and a Japanese translator. He eventually became a manager at Heiwa Terrace, an affordable housing facility for seniors located in Chicago, Illinois. He remained in this position until his retirement in 1978. Throughout his life, George continued to explore his interest in Kendo, a martial art form, and music. He was the lead singer of the Shinko Band and was a member of the Buddhist Temple of Chicago choir. George passed away on September 16, 2009.

Mary Maruyama was born to Wasumi and Hiromichi Wada on June 26, 1925 in Sumner, Washington. During World War II, the Wada family was sent to the Heart Mountain Relocation Center located in Wyoming. Mary completed her high school education while interned. After the war concluded, Mary resettled in Chicago and married George. She was a stay-at-home mother until her children entered school. Mary re-entered the workforce as a secretary at RR Donnelley and then moved onto a job with Combined Insurance where she remained until her retirement in 1994. Mary’s interests include knitting, crocheting and sewing.

Source: Maruyama Family