Nobuko Nakagama

With great sadness our family announces the passing of NOBUKO NAKAGAMA who, at the age of 93, passed away peacefully at Chinook Regional Hospital on October 13, 2010, surrounded by her family. Nobuko was the second of three children of Naonojo and Tsuma Akune and was born in Steveston, B.C. on December 6, 1916. At the age of 7, she and her siblings were sent to Japan to receive a formal Japanese education and lived with family friends in the family's former hometown of Kaseda in Kagoshima-ken Japan. Nobuko completed high school and, in 1934, graduated from college majoring in sewing, cooking and ikebana (Japanese flower arranging). Her goal was to teach in this field but she, along with her brother and sister, returned to Canada at their parents' request. On December 6, 1937, she married Ryutaro Nakagama. Together they operated a retail food store in Steveston, B.C. until moving to Picture Butte in 1942. In 1947, the family was granted permission to operate a Japanese grocery store in Lethbridge. Nobuko continued working at the store and was an integral part of its daily operations until just recently. Even with the demands of the store and raising a family, she made time to sew, knit, crochet and pursue other interests such as Japanese flower arranging (her favourite pastime), sand art and origami. She is survived by her five children: Rita (John) Aoki, Sue (Dick) Yamamoto, Carol (Mas) Tomomitsu, Mary (Mal) Clewes, and Ken (Vickie) Nakagama; eight grandchildren: Darren Aoki, Craig Yamamoto, Brent Yamamoto, Jennifer (James) Tomasson, Allen (Cindy) Clewes, David (Kristie) Clewes, Kendra Nakagama and Kyle Nakagama; two great grandchildren: Brinley Clewes and Ty Clewes. Nobuko is also survived by her older brother Hideo Akune of Richmond, B.C. and numerous nieces and nephews. Besides her loving husband, Ryutaro, she was predeceased by her parents and her younger sister Natsuko Kamitakahara, brother-in-law, Tetsuo Kamitakahara and sister-in-law, Emiko Akune. A family visitation will be held on Monday, October 18, 2010 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. at CHRISTENSEN SALMON GENERATIONS FUNERAL HOME, 703 - 13 Street North, Lethbridge. A private family service will be held on Tuesday with interment to follow. Flowers and koden are gratefully declined. If you wish, memorial donations may be made to the Buddhist Temple of Southern Alberta, 470 - 40th Street South, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J 3Z5 or to a charity of your choice.

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