Obituary

John Sohei Hohri

February 4, 1925 - June 6, 2015

Artist, librarian, curator, book collector, calligrapher, animal and nature lover, lifelong student of history and philosophy, beloved son, brother, husband and uncle, John Sohei Hohri was born in Los Angeles, California, the fifth of six children to Daisuke Hohri and Asa Hohri (Utsunomiya). He was older brother to William Hohri (1927-2010) who was the leader of the National Coalition for Japanese American Redress. He graduated from Ralph Waldo Emerson High School, Westwood, CA in 1940, two years before the U.S. government interned his family at Manzanar. At Manzanar Children's Village, the camp orphanage, he became a favorite storyteller, notably retelling the classic historical novel Les Miserables by Victor Hugo and stories from The Odyssey by Homer.

Hohri served in the U.S. military starting in 1946 and was awarded two medals: World War II Victory Medal and Army of Occupation Medal Japan. He later went on to graduate from The University of Chicago with a BA in philosophy. In the '50s he traveled to France to study with noted abstract painter Fernand Leger.

After his return to the United States, he began a more than 30-year career as librarian and curator of the New York Yacht Club. He also created gold-leafed scrolls presented to upper rank competitors for America's Cup. Upon his retirement in 1989, the Club recognized his decades of outstanding service by naming a special room in his honor, Sohei Hohri Rare Book Room.

An avid book collector, Hohri acquired some 30,000 volumes over his lifetime in subjects ranging from art history and philosophy to natural sciences, poetry and literature, including a special interest in children's books.

He is survived by his loving wife, Valeria Engelbretson, brother Takuo and an extended family of nieces, nephews, grand and great grandchildren.