It is with great sadness and a deep sense of loss that the family of Dr. Esther Violet Wong Yamada announces her passing, after a courageous battle and heroic strength following a devastating hip injury and despite having a weakened heart.
She leaves behind to mourn her passing, her spouse Joshua Tsunekatsu Yamada, her daughter Catherine Ruth Yamada (by Samuel I. Yamada), Emily Bronwen Swan, grand-daughter and son-in-law Gordon W. Swan. Also surviving are her sister, Gretta Wong Grant, Gretta's children by Alan Grant: Gretchen, George, James and Hugh, as well as 1st cousin, Henry (Hank) Wong, as well as numerous other nieces, nephews and cousins.
Esther was born to parents, Mr. Lem Wong and Mrs. Toye Chin Wong, the youngest of a family of eight children in London, Ontario. Her siblings were Victor, Mary Mark, Clara Lee, Norman, George, William, and Gretta Grant.
Esther excelled in her studies and earned her BSc at Western Ontario University (Honours Chemistry in 1945), her Master's degree (Chemistry 1947) from MacDonald Agricultural College of McGill University, and PhD in Biochemical studies from Western Ontario University (1951), London Ontario.
She married Samuel Isay Yamada in 1953, himself a PhD in Biophysics, following which she did post-doctoral work at Karolinska Institute in Sweden for 2 years. Esther continued her post-graduate studies in Biochemistry at Bethesda, Maryland, as did Samuel in his studies. Her studies were seminal enough to be cited in papers by other researchers around the world.
Following the birth of her only child (Catherine Ruth Yamada), Esther became an assistant professor at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, where the family settled. She joined the Faculty of Medicine, at the Dept of Biochemistry at the downtown campus (Health Sciences Centre). Continuing her excelling ways, Esther rose to full professorship. When she retired some 45 years later, Dr. Esther Yamada was honoured by the University of Manitoba with the title of Professor Emerita.
In 1966, Esther's husband, Samuel unexpectedly passed away, so she spent several years raising Cathy as a single working mother. Fortunately for them both, Samuel's unmarried brother, Joshua Tsunekatsu Yamada was able to provide the family with much-needed emotional support, which morphed into genuine affection and inevitably marriage, a happy union that endured over 46 years until her passing.
Esther demonstrated her zest for life. She loved her animals, her many dogs, cats and several horses, especially her Peter. She also had a flair for antiques, choral and classical music and a deep interest in growing orchids. Esther won a H.C.C. (Highly commended certificate) from the American Orchid Society for her Dendrobium Cross, "Manitoba Mystique". Along with Joshua, Esther was also a member of the the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba. She had a true love of life and for those she loved, and shared her passion for universal interests.
A memorial service will be held in Esther's honour at 2:00 pm on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Boulevard.
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