Haruo Aoki

Haruo Aoki, 91, Professor Emeritus of UC Berkeley, died February 24th, 2022 due to aspiration pneumonia. He died peacefully, at home, surrounded by family members.

A professor for 28 years at the Berkeley campus of the University of California, Mr. Aoki taught elementary courses in Japanese, upper division courses in the history of the Japanese language, advanced courses in Modern Japanese, and graduate seminars in Japanese linguistics. He wrote “Basic Structures in Japanese” (Tokyo: Taishukan 1984) and with Okamoto Shigeko, “Conversational Rules in Japanese (Jissen Nihongo Kaiwa)” (Tokyo: Taishukan 1988).

As a research linguist starting in 1960, he undertook a project jointly sponsored by the Survey of California and Other Languages, Linguistics Department, The University of California at Berke-ley, and the Idaho State Historical Society, Boise, Idaho to document the Nez Perce language. His research was published as “Nez Perce Grammar” (1970 UCPL62), “Nez Perce Texts” (1979 UCPL90), and “Nez Perce Dictionary” (1994 UCPL122). He also coauthored with Deward E. Walker, “Nez Perce Oral Narratives” (1989 UCPL104).

Born in Kunsan, Korea, he was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Akira Aoki. He attended schools in Kun-san, Hamhung, and Chonju in Korea, and Isahaya in Japan. He furthered his education at Hiro-shima University, and graduate schools at UCLA and UC Berkeley, where he was awarded a PhD in 1965 in Linguistics.

He married Mary Ann Schroeder in 1958 with whom he had three daughters. He remarried in 1981.

Survivors include his second wife, Ann; three daughters Kanna, Akemi, and Mieko; two sisters; and three grandchildren.

As he wished, his ashes will be scattered in the Pacific Ocean.

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