July 25, 1929 – March 2, 2023
Grace Kiyoko Deguchi passed away peacefully at her home the morning of March 2, 2023, at the age of 93.
Grace was a prominent member of the West Los Angeles community in which she lived for over 70 years, graduating from University High School and raising her children, Susan and Craig (d. 2013), with her late husband, George Masakazu (Maki) Deguchi.
Grace had a lively and spirited personality. As a young girl, she was very active and enjoyed participating in various sports, especially baseball. As a young woman, she was quite the dancer. She loved the jitterbug. She carried this enthusiasm for sports and music until the her very last day, always watching and supporting her favorite sports teams like the Dodgers, Lakers, Kings, and Rams. She also enjoyed watching and dabbling in golf. In her golden years, Grace enjoyed playing bingo whether locally or on a group trip to Las Vegas. Her routine included watching “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune” when live sports were not on and doing word search puzzles to keep sharp. She was a life-long subscriber to The Rafu Shimpo since its first day of publication!
Grace was always quick to lend a hand. She very much enjoyed helping others. She often volunteered to serve at Senior Lunch, supported the Japanese American Citizens League, and wanted to be involved in her Manzanar reunions. Despite having spent years in the internment camps during WWII, her positive attitude always found the bright side of things, which for her was forming life-long friendships.
Grace was a caring and devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother as well as a wonderful sister, aunt, and friend. She leaves behind her daughter, Susan (husband John); 2 grandchildren, Nicholas (wife Jackie) and Tiffany (husband Gavin); and 5 great-grandchildren, William, Ryan, Samara, Tatum and Isaac; as well as her extended grandchildren/great-grandchildren, Nicole and Matt/Ava.
She had a profound influence on each and every one of us and made everyone feel welcome in her home, earning her the affectionate nickname of “Grandma Grace” by most. She will be greatly missed but is resting easy now after a lifetime of hard work.
Per Grace’s request, no service will be held. Family will hold a private memorial at a later date.