Tatsuroh Yamazaki

April, 1952 – April, 2024

Tatsuroh Yamazaki was born April 6, 1952 in Yonezawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, the stronghold of the illustrious samurai lord, Kenshin Uesugi. Tatsuroh’s parents were Masashi Yamazaki (nee Nirazawa), an elementary school principal, and Toshie (nee Tomiko) Aso, a housewife, knitter and flower arranger. Tatsuroh was the youngest of three brothers.

After completing compulsory education at local schools, Tatsuroh attended Hosei University in Ichigaya, Tokyo where he earned a B.A. and M.A. in Linguistics. Upon graduation, he came to the United States on a Rotary Club scholarship, first studying at a language school in Statesboro, Georgia and then at the University of Minnesota’s Applied Linguistics Program where he met his future wife.

Tatsuroh and Stella Mentel were married February 7, 1981 in Chicago at Queen of Angels Catholic Church. Thereafter, he earned an M.A. in Applied Linguistics at Northeastern University and completed the coursework for a Ph.d in Linguistics at the University of Chicago. His daughter Erika was born in Chicago on December 27, 1987.

From 1988 to 1998 Tatsuroh was an Assistant Professor of English at Shinshu University, Matsumoto City, Nagano Prefecture, Japan. From spring of 1998 until his retirement in 2023, he was a Professor of English in the Economics Department of Hosei University, Tama Campus, Machida, Tokyo. In addition to teaching English classes, he managed the Study Abroad Program for his department. Tatsuroh was popular among the students and led his Hosei University Faculty Table Tennis Team to many victories over other schools. He was respected by his colleagues for his many publications on generative linguistics. Along with his wife, he also authored an annual news video textbook for Kinseido Publishers for almost 30 years.

Tatsuroh passed away due to a massive stroke on April 11, 2024. He was a very loving father and a good advisor to many younger colleagues needing guidance. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister. He leaves behind his wife and daughter (Tokyo, Japan), brothers Yusuke (Yokohama, Japan) and Shinji (Yonezawa City), two sisters-in-law, three nieces, two nephews, four great nephews and one great niece.

Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery, Austin, MN at a later date.