Fumie Yoshimori Yamasaki, 102 years old, slipped away on February 13th to join her husband, Tsutomu Yamasaki, who had preceded her 63 years ago. She was ready, after having raised their three daughters: Jean Yamasaki Toyama, Bette Yamasaki Uyeda and Peggy Yamasaki Cha. She enabled them to understand what they were to do with their lives, having successfully sent them to college and to study abroad. She never imposed her will, just provided them the means. She accomplished this alone through her skills in manufacturing clothing for women. Her shops, called Bette Jean's, were located across from Aala Park and on Bethel Street near Fort Street Mall. Her specialties were shirt waists and muumuus.Although, perhaps because, she left school at 14 to learn to sew and help support her three brothers and two sisters, she never lost her love of learning. We would often find her looking up something in the encyclopedia or trying her hand at some new task, e.g. fixing her industrial sewing machine. And she was a great traveler who always wanted to see new places and meet new people. With her daughters, as well as on her own, she visited Europe, all parts of the mainland, Japan, Canada and even Tahiti. One of her last trips was to see the total eclipse from the Grand Tetons in Wyoming. She also made frequent trips to Las Vegas with her family.
After she retired, she spent countless hours helping others through volunteer efforts at Manoa Valley Church, Hawai'i Meals on Wheels, Kuakini Hospital and Palama Settlement among other organizations. She communicated her energy and dedication to her daughters and all her friends.
She is survived by her daughters, their husbands, whom she considered her sons, Dennis Toyama, Alex Uyeda, Milton Cha and her grandchildren, whom she adored, Jana Uyeda and Christopher Cha, and her sister, Margie Yoshimori Kinoshita and her brother, Tamo Yoshimori.
Her daughters would like to thank the wonderful caregivers at Manoa Senior Care along with Bristol Hospice who provided loving and expert care to Fumie. They would also like to thank the friends she made there. All were able to enjoy her sometimes sharp and unusual sense of humor and gave her the affection and love which helped her to thrive.
For those who wish to make a donation please consider Manoa Valley Church or the University of Hawai'i Foundation. A scholarship for students at Kauai Community College was established many years ago: the Tsutomu Yamasaki and Fumie Yoshimori Yamasaki Educational Scholarship.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at Manoa Valley Church at 11:00 am. Meeting with the family at 10:00.
Arrangements Provided By: Hosoi Garden Mortuary
