Yoshiko II

Yoshiko Ii — known to those who loved her as Yoshi — passed away peacefully on the morning of April 24th, 2026, at 10:26 a.m., leaving behind a world made quieter and gentler by her absence.

Born Yoshiko Motojima in Tokyo, Japan on April 5, 1937, Yoshi carried within her a spirit that was never content to stay still. In 1967, at the age of thirty, she set out from Japan with her sights originally set on Brazil, a journey that would take an unexpected and beautiful turn when she arrived in Vancouver, British Columbia. There, she was welcomed into the home of the Berry family, who embraced her not as a guest, but as a daughter. That warmth, so freely given, changed the course of her life. She chose to stay, and Canada is richer for it.

In 1968, through the Barclay family, Yoshi met the man who would become her partner in all things: Masao Ii. They married in 1970, and together built a life in North Vancouver that spanned 56 years: a life marked by quiet joy, deep friendship, and an abiding love that never wavered. They welcomed two sons, Richard and Edward, who loved her dearly and will carry her with them always.

Yoshi was, above all else, a woman of remarkable character. She was fiercely independent, with a clear and unshakeable sense of right and wrong that she lived by without apology. She was emotionally intelligent in the truest sense: the kind of person who understood what you needed before you had found the words yourself. Her kindness was not incidental; it was the very centre of who she was. It is no surprise that her closest friends reflected that same warmth and spirit back to her. Good people find each other, and Yoshi drew them near.

She is survived by her devoted husband Masao, and her two sons, Edward and Richard. Masao, her husband of 56 years, holds in his heart the quiet and certain hope of seeing her again someday.

Rest now, Yoshi. You were so deeply loved.