Kazuko “Kazi” Ishii
August 2, 1938 – June 23, 2018
Kazuko “Kazi” Ishii, 79, passed away Saturday, June 23, 2018, at her residence. She was born on August 2, 1938, in Los Angeles, California to Tadaichi and Yoshino Hori.
Her family operated a thriving produce business in Los Angeles until the war broke out. Kazuko and her family were then evacuated from their home, in accordance with Executive Order 9066, and sent to Amache, CO, a Relocation Center for Japanese Internment in May of 1942.
Her family returned to Los Angeles after the closure of internment camps in 1945. While attending college at the University of California Los Angeles she met Dean Y. Ishii, who was attending the University of Southern California School of Dentistry. After getting married, they moved to the Monterey peninsula and had three sons, Dean, Linden and Galen. In 1976, Kazuko later moved with her 3 sons to San Diego. She was an active member of the church along with her companion, Dale Kusumoto, for many years. Among her passions were organizing social gatherings and tending to her many orchids and plants in her backyard garden. She was a lifelong member of the Japanese American Citizens League and very proud of her heritage. Kazi will always be remembered as a loving mother and devoted grandmother to her six grandchildren.
Kazuko was preceded in death by her parents and sister, Takako Diane Hori. She is survived by her children, Dean Ishii (Carolyn) of Mead, WA, Linden Ishii (Janice) of Salinas, CA, Galen Ishii (Sylvia) of Monterey, CA; grandchildren Derek & Marissa, Kristy & Brian, Sean & Grace.
A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, July 7, 2018, at 2:00pm at the Clairemont Mortuary in San Diego. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made payable to National JACL Scholarship Fund and sent to National JACL, 1765 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94115.