Densho Digital Archive
Densho Visual History Collection
Title: Nancy Shimotsu Interview
Narrator: Nancy Shimotsu
Interviewer: Sharon Yamato
Location: Los Angeles, California
Date: February 7, 2012
Densho ID: denshovh-snancy-01-0001

<Begin Segment 1>

SY: Today is February 7, 2012, and we're talking with Nancy Shimotsu at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Los Angeles. My name is Sharon Yamato, and Tani Ikeda is on camera. So Nancy, can we start by you telling us your full name?

NS: Okay. My first name is Nancy, Natsuko is my Japanese name, and my maiden name is Inatomi, and my married name is Shimotsu.

SY: And so Nancy, how did you get the name Nancy from Natsuko?

NS: My sisters, we all wanted English name. So my oldest sister decided to give me an English name, so she said Nancy. So I said, "Oh, that sounds pretty." So I said, "Okay, call me Nancy." So since then, my name became Nancy.

SY: And tell us where you were born and when exactly, which date?

NS: I was born in a place called Dominguez Hills. It's a hill, it's a country site. My father was a farmer in Dominguez Hills, and that's where I was --

SY: And it's south of Los Angeles?

NS: Gee, I guess... well, you know where Compton is?

SY: It's near Compton?

NS: Compton, so that next town is Gardena. Between Gardena and Compton, it's between, right in the middle of it. It's a hill, like a hill.

SY: And that's where your father farmed.

NS: Yeah. It was my father's, when he came back from Japan, first farming land.

SY: And what was the date that you were born?

NS: 1922. My birthday was July 23rd.

SY: So you're coming up to your ninetieth birthday.

NS: Yes, yes.

SY: In a few months.

NS: Yes, I'm an old lady. [Laughs]

SY: Congratulations.

<End Segment 1> - Copyright © 2012 Densho. All Rights Reserved.