Mitsuo Morishita Obituary (1924 - 2016)

Murray, UT – Mitsuo Morishita, known to his friends and family as Mits, passed away peacefully on April 18, 2016 at the age of 91. Mits was born to Bunataro Morishita and Tomeno Fukuda Morishita in Sunnyside, UT on June 27, 1924. He spent most of his youth residing in Layton, UT and graduated in 1942 from Davis High School in Kaysville, UT. Mits was inducted into the U.S. Army on December 16, 1944 at Fort Douglas, UT. During World War II, he served as a Japanese language translator and was deployed to Japan after its surrender. Corporal Morishita was released from service on October 12, 1946 at Fort Lewis, WA. On November 23, 1952 he married Kuzue (Betty) Hasegawa and the couple resided primarily in Murray, UT. Mits specialized in chicken sexing (determining the sex of newborn chicks) and was employed in that capacity in Salt Lake City as well as in Iowa and Arkansas. In addition, he worked as a gardener, as well as in the produce distributing business. Mits was predeceased by his parents, brothers Takeo and Shigeru and grandson Thomas Contini. He is survived by his spouse Betty; daughter Deborah; husband Alexander Contini; and grandson Robert Contini of Beekman, NY; son Aaron and husband Jay Rogers of Brooklyn, NY; sister Kimiye Mizuta of Salt Lake City and her children Rick Mizuta and wife Debi; Jeanne (Koga) Jensen and husband Allen; and Betty (Koga) Tanaka and husband Kenneth; sister-in-law Kiyoku Morishita of Bountiful and her children Bob and wife Karen, Susan, and Colleen. The family would also like to acknowledge the children of Rick and Debi Mizuta (Robert, Bryan and Samuel) who were like grandchildren to Mits, as well as Sue George of Salt Lake City who Mits viewed as an "adopted daughter". The family wishes to thank the many friends for their heartfelt thoughts and expressions of condolences. The family also requests that donations be made to the University of Utah Medical Center in Mits' name in lieu of flowers or any other remembrance offerings. Funeral Home: Jenkins-Soffe Mortuary-Murray 4760 South State Street Murray, UT