Beloved mother Mitsuko Nagell passed away at home on her own terms on June 26, 2023, with her loving family members present. Born Mitsuko Takahashi in Naruko Onsen, Miyagi-ken, Japan, on July 16, 1939, Mitsuko left home at a young age and married Capt. Richard Nagell during the Korean War. The couple settled in Los Angeles having had three children, then divorced.
Mitsuko worked in the Little Tokyo area for many years. She loved the Little Tokyo area and remembered when the first sushi was sold there. She enjoyed playing ukulele with Chester Ikei’s ukulele class at the JACCC, and enjoyed the Las Vegas trips from Little Tokyo Towers. Mitsuko was blessed with a sharp mind and a strong sense of fairness throughout her life. She was predeceased by her ex-husband and daughter, Marie Mitsuru; and is survived by her daughter, Teresa; son, Robert; and three dogs, Ki, Puka, and Chibi, who clinged to her through her long illness. Mitsuko wished that she could have said goodbye to her friends, but did not want to worry or impose upon them. She thought of them often, wishing them all the best.