Kikue Hirase, 100, passed away at Kei Ai in Lincoln Heights on October 12, 2025. She is survived by her son, Ken Hirase; daughter, Jamie Maxx; grandsons, Brett and Adam Kawasawa; great-granddaughter, Leilani Kawasawa; great-grandson, Gabriel; The Tanisaka, Hirase and Kamei Family.
Born in the Kushimoto area of Wakayama, Japan on August 17, 1925, Kikue migrated to Los Angeles in 1959. She lived in the Jefferson Park area, and eventually moved to Miyako Gardens in Little Tokyo, where she spent over 45 years of her life. She will be missed by many in Little Tokyo.