Ruth Yoshiko Yamauchi

Ruth Yoshiko (Honda) Yamauchi was born on June 26, 1915, in Los Angeles, California. She was the second child of Yuzo and Tomiko (Yokoyama) Honda. She was raised in Imperial Valley, California where her father was a farmer and her mother was a homemaker. She died April 25, 2016, at Cedars Health Care in Lakewood, Colorado. Ruth was 2 months and one-day shy of her 101st birthday.

Ruth attended Brawley High School as well as two years at Brawley Junior College until her admission into UC Berkeley where she studied nursing. While in college she worked at Mikimoto Culture Pearls as a secretary, bookkeeper, and “Good Girl Friday.”

In 1941, she began dating Hiroshi M. Yamauchi. As World War II broke out, Japanese Americans were evacuated from California and sent to desert internment camps. Ruth and Hiroshi quickly married and were sent to an internment camp in Topaz, Utah. While in the Utah camp, Ruth had a son, Bryan, in

July of 1943. In the latter part of 1943, at the order of General Douglas MacArthur, Hiroshi was called to Military Intelligence (Army) in Ann Arbor, MI, because of his ability to speak both Japanese and English. In 1945, now working for the Navy, the couple relocated to Stillwater, OK. It was here their daughter, Gayle, was born in April of 1946.

In 1947, prior to moving to Japan, the couple lived in Broomfield, CO; the home of Ruth’s parents. While in Japan, their second daughter, Elyse, was born in December of 1950.

After returning to Denver, CO from Japan, Lynda, their third daughter was born in January of 1954. It was in Denver where they started their roots and settled. Hiroshi and Ruth moved into a small house next a building where they opened a little grocery store on the corner of 41st and Sheridan (the building is still there, occupied by “Freaky’s”) and ran it for several years until a major grocery chain moved into the area. After the closing of the store, Ruth starting working at the State Home and Training School in Colorado (also known as Ridge Home in Arvada, CO) as a supervisor and visiting nurse for 30 years until her retirement.

In retirement, Ruth enjoyed being a member of Simpson United Methodist Church as well as several organizations; Sister City International, (Takayama is the Sister City in Japan), Denver Center Optimist Club, Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), Bridge Club, Denver Nikkei Singles and Ayame Minyo Kai. In addition to all of her organizations, she enjoyed teaching origami in public schools and lecturing at high schools and colleges about her internment experience during WWII. She did this into her mid-nineties.

Ruth was a die-hard Broncos fan and had a huge crush on John Elway. She also enjoyed spending time with her family and was blessed the majority of them lived in the Denver Metro area.

Ruth is preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, her son Bryan Honda and her daughter Elyse Yamauchi. She is survived by her daughters, Gayle K. Simon of Denver and Lynda S. Sutherland of Wheat Ridge, CO; four grandchildren, Carin Sutherland Lawrence, husband Pete, Kimiko Sutherland Gustafson, husband Brendan, Klee Yamauchi, wife Salvation, and Yuzo Nieto, wife Simone; and eight great-grandchildren, Nicholas and Erik Lawrence, Kensley Gustafson, Keaden, Eleann and Zander Yamauchi, and Zora and Theo Nieto.

Memorial Service will be held Sunday, May 15, 2016 at 12:00 PM, Simpson United Methodist Church, 6001 Wolff Street, Arvada, CO 80003.

Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to Simpson United Methodist Church c/o Ruth Y. Yamauchi, 6001 Wolff Street, Arvada, CO 80003.

Arrangements under the direction of Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery, Thornton, CO.