Jean Sakiko Nagata, left this earth all too quickly and quite unexpectedly at age 93 surrounded by her adoring family on Monday February 22, 2016. She was a long time resident of Fresno and recently moved to the Napa Valley to begin a new adventure.
Jean was born on December 14, 1922 in Dinuba, CA to Tamesuke and Konami Kumashiro of Japan. She lived in Del Rey, CA graduating from Selma High School in 1941. Jean Sakiko Kumashiro married Harry Kiyoshi Nagata on November 12, 1949. The happy couple enjoyed 66 years of marriage and raising three children on their farm property in Fresno, CA.
Jean was one of a kind and excelled in everything domestic. Queen in her kitchen with incredible baking skills many lucky people were the recipients of platters of her holiday treats from pumpkin cranberry bread, sugar twists, persimmon bread, spice cookies to her famous cherry tarts. She had a passion for gardening, among her favorites were African violets, amaryllis, cyclamen, calla lilies, gladiolas and sweet peas. Each Memorial Day holiday, Jean would arrange dozens of bouquets from the flowers in her garden and then make the trek to deliver them across the county. Mom loved the quail, baby cotton tails, lizards and hummingbirds around the farm, with the nature channel among her favorite shows. Everywhere we look, the scents, the photos, labeling stickers, a daily log on the fridge…”That’s so Mom!” is now the family catch phrase.
Our lives are so blessed with every hug and smile Mom gave. Loving and giving by nature, she was always a good hostess. She liked to travel and go on little adventures and mini-vacations with family willing to see and try different places and foods (twice if she liked them). Mom was a highly intelligent woman, who loved Sudoku and word scrambles in the Fresno Bee. She aced them every Sunday, and doing them was her favorite way to spend that day of the week. She leaned towards bright and lively hues, lavender being her favorite color. Jean was an excellent seamstress sewing everything from lined coats and jackets, pleated draperies to the wedding gown for her daughter hand sewn with beads and lace.
As a Grandmother, she passed on her knowledge and expertise of cooking and home preserving. Family favorites such as Pomegranate Jelly, will live on through her Granddaughter Amelia. Known for her generosity, Jean’s true legacy is how she taught her family to share with warmth and love, always leading by example.
Jean was preceded in death by her parents; older sister Kaye Oshiro; twin sister Jane Maruyama; younger sister Pearl Takeuchi. She is survived by husband Harry Nagata of St. Helena ; brother Tom Kumashiro of Sanger, CA; son Wesley (Annie) Nagata of Fresno; daughter Vivian (Ken) Robison of St. Helena; son Bruce (Sherry) Nagata of Chandler, AZ; granddaughter Amelia Sakiko Robison of St. Helena; step grandson Joseph Rediger of Arizona; nieces and nephews; and countless others whose lives she touched.
Visitation will be held at the Lisle Funeral Home located at 1605 "L" Street, Fresno California on Friday, March 18, 2016 from 11:00 am until 7:00 pm. A Funeral Service will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Saturday, March 19, 2016 at 11:00 am. Interment to follow at Fresno Memorial Gardens.
Condolences may be offered by visiting to www.lislefuneralhome.com
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