Frank Y. Koba

Longtime Moses Lake resident and business owner, Frank Y. Koba passed away March 20, 2008, at Samaritan Hospital.

He was born Nov. 1, 1918, in Steveston, British Columbia to Kichijiro and Fui (Hayashi) Koba. The Kobas lived on Bainbridge Island where Frank graduated from high school in 1937. Following internment at Manzanar, Calif., and Minidoka, Idaho during WWII, Frank moved to Moses Lake where he and his brothers worked for the Hansen family and later farmed on the Brown Ranch. He met his wife Miyo Konishi while working on the ranch. They were married Nov. 23, 1946, in Seattle. Frank and Miyo bought Frank's Grocery in January 1952. Frank's Grocery has been a neighborhood fixture in Moses Lake for 56 years. Frank served generations of families and was able to recall the names of many of the kids as they returned with their small children to share the tradition of Frank's.

One of Frank's passions was to support the Moses Lake Chiefs' athletic programs. For many years, he and Doc Young attended every Chief football game, home and away, win or lose. Frank was often contacted by school students as a resource for the history of the internment of Japanese Americans. He was an important contributor to the first group of the Japanese Agricultural Exchange students in 1966. He was often asked to interpret and emcee special events for the program. Frank and Miyo enjoyed having the students in their home for traditional Japanese meals and entertainment. He was known in the community for his kind and generous spirit and he will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Miyo Koba, his three children Rick (Kathy), of Moses Lake, Marsha of Soap Lake, Doug (Jeanne) of Phoenix, Ariz., and grandchildren Kalin (Joel) Armstrong of Spokane, Taylor and Alexa of Phoenix, Ariz., brother Harry of Seattle and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Fujiko Sakuma and brothers Robert, Fred, and John.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday March 25, at 1 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1142 West Ivy, Moses Lake. Sign the guestbook or leave a note for the family at www.kayserschapel.com.