OBITUARY: Jessie Eiko Yasaki

YASAKI, JESSIE EIKO, age 82, passed peacefully at her Oakland home on Thursday, March 17, 2011, at 82 years of age. Born in Murray, Utah, raised in Stockton, and a 41-year resident of Oakland, she is survived by her daughter, Joyce Kunz (Thomas W.); sons, John Yasaki and Stuart Yasaki (Deanna); sisters, Ayako Maruoka, Mary Imai and May Hirose (William); brother, Sam Omura; and granddaughters, Jennifer Kunz, Kaiya, Samantha and Daphne Yasaki. Preceded in death by her husband of 37 years, Joe J. Yasaki in 1994, and her sisters, Miyeko Rautenberg and Chieko Nakadegawa.

Jessie and her family spent World War II at the Gila River internment camp in Arizona. She graduated from UC Berkeley in 1950, and spent most of her adult life lovingly caring for her children and grandchildren. Jessie was deeply committed to human rights, gender equality, diversity and conservation. She especially enjoyed gardening, golf, camping, and spending time with family.

Memorial service to be held at Skyline Community Church, 12540 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, on Friday, April 15, at 11 a.m. Memorial donations, if desired, may be made to Nature Conservancy, 4245 N. Fairfax Drive 100, Arlington VA 22203, or to Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief, American Red Cross, www.redcross.org.

Sunset View Mortuary

Tel. (510) 525-5111