Kaoru Kay Minamoto

Kay was born September 24, 1934, and passed away August 7, 2015 at age 80. She resided in Fresno and Kingsburg most of her life but more recently in Squaw Valley, where she spent the last 14 years of her life. She enjoyed living in the quiet of the foothills with her many friends and animals.

She was seven years old when WWII started. She attended McKinley Elementary School until her family was relocated to Fresno County Assembly Center, Jerome, AR and Gila, AZ for a total of 3 1/2 years of before returning to Fresno in August of 1945.

She graduated from Central Union High School in Fresno in 1952. She attended 4C's college where she met and then later married, Min Minamoto on January 15, 1953. In 2012, she accepted a Congressional Gold Medal posthumously for her husband, who served with the 442nd Regimental combat team during WWII.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Minoru Minamoto, her parents, Kazuso and Teruko Sunada and her brother, Nobuo Sunada.

Kay is survived by daughters, Jerri Ann and husband, Chris Gong, Debbie Lynn and husband David Yamasaki, and son Steve Minamoto, grandson, Donald Gong, grandson Michael Gong and wife, Grace, great granddaughters, Kate and Olivia Gong. Sister, Midori Tani and husband, Yukio of Sanger, brother, Katsumi Sunada and wife Chie of Santa Clarita, sister, Lily Sunada of Los Angeles and many nephews, nieces and cousins.

After raising her children, Kay worked for twenty years at the Kingsburg Recorder and Selma Enterprise as a type-setter. She enjoyed ballroom dancing and traveling with her husband. With her kind and caring nature, Kay will be remembered and greatly missed by her family and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at Lisle Funeral Home on Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 11:00 am.