When Yoshie Sagisaka walked into the room, those in her company felt energy, an enthusiastic spontaneity. This was just one example of who Yoshie was and how she impacted those around her. Yoshie was a clever and gregarious person who always sought out the finest attributes in other people. It was as if Yoshie wanted to share all of their experiences, revel in their lives and celebrate their discoveries. Yoshie was tireless and had boundless enthusiasm that would serve her well throughout her life.
Yoshie was born on January 14, 1932 at Tokyo, Japan in Tokyo, Japan. She was the daughter of Keiichi and Toki Kashiwamura. Always at the ready with a good joke, she grew up to be quite a humorous person. While some who knew Yoshie might describe her as an idealist, her friends and family understood well that Yoshie was always in pursuit of life’s endless possibilities and opportunities available to her.
Yoshie was raised with two siblings. She had an older brother, Kiyoshi, and a younger sister, Kazuyo. Yoshie was very accepting and supportive of her family. She was perceived as the central person in her family in terms of keeping communication open between the family members. Whenever discord or tension arose within the home, Yoshie was typically the member who brought about resolution and harmony. These traits served Yoshie well in her adult life and, along with her wit, outgoing personality, and understanding of others, drew the admiration of many who knew her.
As a young girl, Yoshie was able to empathize and identify with a vast array of people and personality types. This quality drew her into a diverse group of friends and acquaintances. Yoshie was intelligent and had little trouble getting along with her peers. She was almost always the first to jump in when it came to playing games or participating in other childhood activities. Yoshie took part in Aikido (Martial Art) and Track. In her spare time she liked to read books, especially on Japanese History. Yoshie had the ability to find amusement with almost any activity she and the many childhood friends she shared might discover.
On November 5, 1958 Yoshie married Robert Izumi Sagisaka at American Consulate of Tokyo, Japan. Yoshie's skill at “building bridges” played an important role in her ability to make her new family happy. She was quite sensitive towards Robert's needs, showing her constant concern and fondness. Yoshie was tenderhearted and sensitive, qualities that served her well in helping to nurture her family.
Yoshie was a natural and creative parent who was willing to provide her family with all sorts of new and interesting experiences. For Yoshie, parenting was a particularly enjoyable and pleasurable part of her life. Every activity, from chores to bedtime routines, became a game in the Sagisaka home. Yoshie's skill at understanding her children's feelings, her sensitivity to their needs, and her gift for gentle persuasion enabled her to find novel solutions to any problem or situation that might crop up. Yoshie was blessed with one child: daughter, Elaine. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Ashley and Justin.
Because Yoshie loved to have a broad variety of activities in her life, she took advantage of the opportunity to pursue numerous hobbies. Her favorite pursuit was Japanese Classical Dance. Yoshie had a knack for being able to multi-task in order to create time for all of her favorite pastimes. However, Yoshie's ever-present concern for others always took precedent.
Yoshie derived much satisfaction from participating in and watching sports. Her charisma, supportive nature and ability to improvise when called upon to do so all made perfect attributes for enjoying a great many sporting activities. In high school, Yoshie ran track. Yoshie was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite events whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were Japense Sumo Wrestling and Olympic Games.
Throughout her life, Yoshie was actively involved in professional and community organizations. She was compassionate, accommodating and quick to move into action. Always able to build a consensus, Yoshie seemed to be the person smack dab in the middle of things, working to get things done. Those who had the opportunity to work with Yoshie usually agreed that when you were involved in an organization with her, it was as entertaining as anything you could imagine. Throughout her later years, Yoshie was an active member of the Japanese Culture Club of Las Vegas, NV.
Yoshie's love of improvising in her daily life was a perfect fit for her enjoyment of traveling. Her favorite vacations were ones that were not planned. Traveling in a casual manner fit her personality well. Excited about seeing changing scenery and constantly looking for the enjoyment life could offer, Yoshie took her vacations seriously, well, as seriously as she possibly could. Favorite vacations included Tokyo, Japan.
Yoshie was a lover of animals and cherished her pets. Mimi, a calico cat, was a best friend for 12 years. Her family was rounded out by her two cats, Mai-Chan and Saya; and two dogs, Ron-Chan and Shadow.
Yoshie Sagisaka passed away on February 27, 2012 at Mountain View Hospital in Las Vegas, Nevada. Yoshie fought a brave battle against cancer. She is survived by her spouse, Robert; daughter, Elaine; and grandchildren, Ashley and Justin. Services were held at Palm Mortuary. Yoshie was laid to rest in Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery.
There was always a certain style and inventiveness to Yoshie. She was a dynamic, self-expressive person who was forever looking to celebrate the endless possibilities life had to offer. She had a knack for being clever, creative and witty, and for others, was a joy to be around. While she was often fiercely independent, it seemed as if many others looked to Yoshie Sagisaka for inspiration, leadership, wisdom and even courage. Yoshie was always more than willing to share life’s experiences with her loved ones.
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