January 11 1923 – June 17, 2022
Private family services were held for Yoshiko Abe Shiomi on July 23, 2022, at Rose Hills Memorial Park. Yo was born in South El Monte, Calif. She passed comfortably and peacefully in her home in Monterey Park.
Yoshiko was wife to Hardy Shiomi, who died in 1979, and mother to Dr. William Ken Shiomi, Susan Cobas, and Leslie VanDerpoel. Her parents were immigrants from Fukuoka, Japan. Coming here, they farmed in South El Monte. She was interned at Heart Mountain and she married Hardy in 1944. After the war they lived in Seattle, Roger Young Village, Los Angeles, and Monterey Park. Yo was a professional hair stylist and then employed by the L.A. County Road Department until her retirement in 1982.
Throughout her life, Yo travelled around the world, especially to her favorite place on Earth – Hawaii. She was an avid bowler belonging to three leagues at one time during her prime bowling years (average 167!). She loved sports – the Lakers, Trojans, men’s and women’s tennis, and “Dancing with the Stars.” She was an excellent cook, not baker, and talented gardener and crafter: sewing (including a wardrobe of Barbie gowns), knitting, decourpage, and painting. And, oh my gosh, she loved her pets and all animals, especially the late great Buster, and TBelle. She was a kind, fun loving, and generous mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend.
She is preceded in death by husband, Hardy Atsumichi Shiomi; and granddaughter, Andréa Christine Cobas. She was the matriarch of a devoted family, including Ken Shiomi (Jennifer Cantillon), Susan (Mike) Cobas, and Leslie (Andy) VanDerpoel; grandchildren, Gabriel Cobas, Melissa Hoy, Matthew Cobas, Casey Shiomi, David VanDerpoel, Lindsey Shiomi, and Darren VanDerpoel; great-grandchildren, Zachary Hoy, Lucca Cobas, Jackson Hoy, Henry Cobas, Heather Hoy, Austin Cobas, Charlene Hoy, Auska Shiomi, and Briar VanDerpoel.
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