Helen was born on July 22, 1921, in Fresno, California. She is survived by her sisters Ikuyo Hata and Mine Ikeda; her brother Shingo Tom Matsumoto; and her sister-in-law Esther Matsumoto. She is also survived by her extended family of nieces, nephews and their children.
During World War II after being relocated in Poston, Arizona, Hoshiko quickly left camp to pursue a career in nursing. She joined the Cadet Nursing Corps and became a Registered Nurse at Seton School of Nursing in Colorado Springs, Colorado. After the war, she moved back to Fresno with her family and started work at the Burnett Sanitarium which was sold and renamed Fresno Community Hospital. "Matsy" had a career at Community that spanned over 44 years. She was one of the first Asian-American nurses and would eventually become the charge nurse in the maternity ward. During this period, Hoshiko took care of her parents, Tamizo and Okayo Matsumoto, for many years until their deaths. After retirement, she continued reading and expanding her knowledge of medicine and the world.
Helen was a world traveler. She visited the Communists in the USSR and stayed in a tree house in Africa. She drank tea with her relatives in Japan and a "bitter" tea with the Incas at Machu Picchu. On her trip to Canada she was stranded for a week following the events of 9/11. Auntie Hoshiko also took her nieces on many adventurous road trips in California.
One of her great joys was ballroom dancing. She loved getting dressed up and competing or dancing for fun. Her wonderful "dancing" friends were a constant source of pleasure and support. One of her last trips was to Las Vegas for a competition at the age of 90.
Hoshiko Helen Matsumoto had a successful career and a full life. She was an important part of our community and her family. The family would like to thank Dr. Gina Brar for the care and compassion she gave to Helen in the later years of her life.
Memorial Service will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Sunday, September 18, 2016 at 2:00 pm.
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