Art Koura, 96, beloved resident and friend of Bainbridge Island, died peacefully Dec. 29, 2014, at Seattle’s Keiro House.

In 1919, Otohiko and Hatsuko Koura strapped on their year-old son and came to Bainbridge Island by steamboat to pick strawberries. They liked it so much that they left a Seattle home and café business to try farming in 1920. Six years later from his family’s seven-acre farm (near today’s library), Art and five siblings attended Lincoln School (site of Winslow Green).

While at Bainbridge High, Art was very busy with the family farm, student government, service clubs, sports; and his parents enrolled him in local judo lessons where Yasuyuki Kumagai taught the judo creed, ethics, respect for elders and “the flexible way” to Japanese and non-Japanese youth.

With Winslow’s farm success, Art’s dad, Farmers’ Board member and Japanese Community president, began a farm move to Manzanita. With state’s prejudicial Alien Land Law, U.S.-born, 18-year-old, Art became “owner” for the family of 80 acres. He helped clear the land.

Art graduated BHS in 1937. As the football team’s right end — all 125 lbs. of him! The team was lightest in the Tri-County League. Yet they became undefeated league champs! Size didn’t matter. They scored 161 points — opponents only 13!

Art turned down a college scholarship, worked hard instead on the farm, earned a judo black belt, and in 1939 was on the Pacific Northwest team that took honors in Los Angeles and visited the San Francisco World’s Fair.

After Pearl Harbor, fear rocked the West Coast. The FBI took Art’s father for a time, as they did all Japanese community leaders. Art, eldest Koura son, offered to help the war effort, “We are berry farmers. We can plow our berries and plant potatoes, if it will help.”

The government had other plans. Art and his family were uprooted along with over 120,000 others by presidential decree and taken to concentration camps in Manzanar, California. His grandfather died there two months later. Art saw a 12-year-old, who was retrieving a baseball outside the camp fence, shot by a tower guard. Art’s sister Sachiko (Nakata) and brother Tony became camp correspondents for the Bainbridge Review.

Later, Koura’s family transferred to Minidoka, Idaho, where Art’s father returned and Art married Florence Yoshitake, a Seattle Garfield High School grad. Art and brother Noboru enlisted in the Army’s highly decorated, “Go For Broke,” 442nd Combat Team. Art served in Italy and nearly lost his left arm in the battle near Bruyeres, France, that saved the “Lost Battalion” at great sacrifice.

Art and Flo returned to the Island after the war. The Raber family had helped look after the Manzanita farm and with Maldur Flodin had helped berry farm acreage grow to 190 acres, the island’s largest ever. Art and Flo’s family grew, too, with a son and daughter. A new and larger barn was built that still stands – one of the island’s most historic.

Art’s 8mm home movies (available to view at the local museum) recorded family and farm activities when harvests grew to exceed pre-war levels and Island Strawberry Fest visitors received free strawberries. Once, Art rallied to fill a 1,000 flat order for a major Seattle grocer! Pickers began with flashlights at 4 a.m. and continued to 9 p.m. Hundreds of farm workers and berry pickers helped the farm from around Kitsap County, western Washington and B.C. Art transported many on his school bus.

Koura farm yielded to California berry competition in 1964. It was sold to become Meadowmere subdivision and golf course.

Art became active in the community including 15 years with John L. Scott Realty. The U.S. Bicentennial “Grand Old Fourth” parade was stopped for Art Koura to present Grand Marshals Walt and Milly Woodward, former Bainbridge Review editors, with a Nisei Veteran’s Special Recognition and his personal, moving, expressions of gratitude for their not forgetting the Island’s uprooted Japanese neighbors during World War II. Twenty years later, Art’s home movies assisted in the authenticity of the film “Snow Falling on Cedars” that he was able to share with his old friend, Walt.

Florence and Art had been married 63 years when she died in December 2007. With serious care challenges, both had moved to Seattle. Friends celebrated Art’s 90th birthday there in 2008 with strawberries and old memories. From his social hall, he could see the island he loved and that loved him.

Art was also preceded in death by his sister Sachiko Nakata, and brothers Kenso and Noburo. He’s survived by brother Tony, sister Sue Furuta; daughter DyAnne (Chris) Middaugh, son Dale (Juanita) Koura; and several grandchildren. There will be only private, family services. Send remembrances in lieu of flowers to Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Temple.