Yuriko Takenaka passed away peacefully in her sleep on January 18, 2026 in Sunnyvale, California. She was 101 years old and had lived a long and colorful life filled with love and adventure. Although she was confined to a bed and wheelchair for much of the last year of her life, her mind was as sharp and inquisitive as ever. She was loving with all who knew her and had a keen sense of humor until the end.
Yuriko was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Southern California. She was enrolled in UCLA when her studies were interrupted by WWII. She was incarcerated at Heart Mountain in Wyoming during the war along with her family. Afterwards, she went on to earn her nursing degree from Stanford University, and worked for many years as a registered nurse.
She was predeceased by her husband, Ken Takenaka, in 1979; and is survived by her son, Bruce of Laguna Niguel, Calif.; her daughter, Joan (Kevin Hatch) of Los Altos, Calif.; her grandchildren, Makena, Cassidy, and James Hatch; as well as numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives.
Yuriko will be laid to rest in Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, California, at a graveside service on June 6, 2026 at 3 p.m.