Exhibit: Santa Barbara Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage, 1870s-1970s
Bernice Oji (1911-2002) and George Ohashi (1907-1992)
High School Sweethearts, Family Award-Winning Hair Stylists, Business Owners
By Cherie Bonazzola
Oji family in 1921 with Mas, Dad Ryozo, Skeets, Bernice, Mom Taugino, and Henry
Bernice Oji
Bernice Kazue Oji was born October 18, 1911 in Sacramento, California. Her father, Ryozo Oji, immigrated to America in 1900 when he was 15 years old. He worked on building the railroad in northern California. Sometime between 1900 and 1910, he started a farm of his own. In 1910, he then sent for his picture bride, Taugino, to come from Japan. Bernice was their first born of eight children, five boys and three girls. As a ten-year-old, she took care of her three oldest brothers. The other siblings arrived after she left home. Bernice took ballet classes. The year 1929 was a memorable year for America with the stock market crash, as well as for Bernice– She graduated from Sacramento High School.
Bernice, Junior High Graduation June 14, 1925
After graduation, she decided to go to Beauty School. In the meantime, she heard that a matchmaker was arranging a marriage between herself and a man she had never met. Bernice confided in her high school sweetheart, George, whom she had known since she was in sixth grade.
George in Poston internment camp
George Ohashi
George Ohashi (born March 1, 1907 in Sacramento, California) came to her rescue, and they eloped to Reno, Nevada in 1929. He was 21 and she was 17. The matchmaker was not happy and was ready to report George as a kidnapper. Bernice intervened by calling her parents and said that it was her idea. They moved to the San Diego area, where George finished going to Beauty School. In 1931, Bernice was able to finish Beauty School. George opened his own salon in the Hotel Del Mar, across from the Del Mar Racetrack. Many celebrities frequented the salon, including Gracie Allen (husband George Burns) and Mary Livingston Benny (Jack’s wife). Rita Hayworth had George do her hair and signed one of her movie photographs for him.
Post War Beauty Salon Business
In 1942, Japanese Americans had to be sent to internment camps. George and Bernice were first sent to the assembly center at Santa Anita Racetrack. They were sent on to Poston, Arizona, August 28, 1942 where they were assigned to Camp 3. Bernice’s parents, Ryozo and Taugino were sent to the internment camp in Gila, Arizona. They later received permission to move to Denver, Colorado to do farming for the war effort. Soon after, George and Bernice asked for permission to move to Denver to farm also. Instead of farming, they set up a beauty salon. Their only child, Susan, was born in Denver, May 1, 1947. They remained in Denver for a total of 17 years, moving to Hawaii in 1957. There they opened a beauty school. They finally settled in Santa Barbara in 1959. With the encouragement of their friend Miye Ota, they opened the Ohashi Coiffure salon in 1960 at 16 W. Calle Laureles.
Award-Winning Stylists
Bernice won many awards for hairstyling. George was an internationally known hairstylist and judge, and won many awards. They were married for 67 years before his passing on December 7, 1992. Bernice passed June 2, 2007.
Poem found inside a card written (date unknown) by George to Bernice:
To my Wonderful Wife
I’ve picked out boring movies
And cruddy TV shows,
I’ve picked out simply ugly ties
And really funny clothes,
I’ve picked out awful restaurants
And tasteless wines for dinner,
But when it comes to picking wives,
I sure picked out a winner!
Happy Valentines Day.
Acknowledgements
Susan Ohashi Kuroda, daughter of Bernice Oji and George Ohashi
References
Ancestry.com
FamilySearch.org
Findagrave.com
Bernice K Ohashi, Obituary 18E-235, Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society (https://sbgen.org/start-your-search/search-database/#/search/); citing Obituary Scrapbooks, held by the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Gledhill Library.
George Ryuichi Ohashi, Obituary 18C-285, Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society (https://sbgen.org/start-your-search/search-database/#/search/); citing Obituary Scrapbooks, held by the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, Gledhill Library.