Shizuko Sakaguchi
Shizuko Sakaguchi quietly passed away at her home on May 2, 2020 surrounded by her loved ones. She was 97 years old.
The eldest daughter of five siblings, her family lived both in Northern and Southern California and later moved to Japan when she was a teen.
When World War II broke out her family became stranded and remained in Japan. There she graduated Shoin Women’s College.
After the war she worked for the U.S. Army who recruited many Nisei as civilian employees for the post war administration.
Eventually returning to California she met and married her future husband Minoru. They raised three children and settled into family life in the South Bay.
Later in life, she happily returned to school and graduated from California State University, Dominguez Hills, Cum Laude with a Bachelor’s degree in English.
She also received her Graduate Certification in teaching English as a second language. She was a member of American Association of University Women.
She had several different occupations in life but probably her most rewarding one was as a Teacher’s Aide using her writing and bilingual skills helping to bridge the language divide of incoming students from Japan. She tutored students privately as well.
She enjoyed sewing, playing the piano, reading and writing short stories. In her short story, “Why I Write” she wrote “the time is now and write I must!”
She is survived by her husband of 67 years and three of her children.