Takuji "Tommy" Sarashina's Obituary
Mr. Sarashina, known familiarly as “Tommy”, was born in Lahaina, Maui to Rev. Shinri Sarashina (Lahaina Hongwanji) and wife, Toshiko. The family included 5 children, who spent their early years in Lahaina and on Oahu.
In 1936, while Rev. Sarashina remained on Oahu, the family moved to Hiroshima, Japan. Tommy’s biography is well-chronicled in a book, Tommy’s Wars – Paradise to Hell and Back, written by a friend, Howard Fields. The book gives a detailed account of Tommy’s capture (1945), along with fellow Japanese army soldiers, and imprisonment in Siberia. The prisoners suffered inhumane conditions until their repatriation to Japan in 1947.
After persistent efforts to regain U.S. citizenship, Tommy was able to return to Maui in 1971, along with his wife, Miyoshi “Sally”. His work history eventually led him to the career he loved, that of being golf course marshal on two Ka’anapali courses. He was fondly called “Tommy Tang”, in reference to his hospitality in offering the refreshing drink to golfers from his cart.
Tommy’s epilogue in the book states, in part, “I want to thank all of the people who helped me along the way, my family for helping me recover after Siberia, the friends of the Hongwanji who helped Sally and me start our new lives in Lahaina, all of the people I met over the years at the golf course … the golf course people are still like a family to me.”
Takuji Sarashina is beloved by many … temple friends, neighbors, Lahaina town acquaintances, golfers who fondly remember Tommy Tang. He is survived by his brother Junji in California and sister Mariko in Japan.
Services for Takuji will be held at Lahaina Hongwanji Mission on Friday, March 24, 2023. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. with a service at 10:30 a.m. At the request of the friends and family of Takuji, please no flowers and donations may be made to Lahaina Hongwanji Mission, P.O. Box 458, Lahaina, Hawaii 96767.
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