Yasuko Shimizu

Yas Shimizu of Denver, Colorado, was born October 11, 1923 and passed peacefully at Someren Glen Assisted Care Facility January 4, 2022 at 98 years old. She was born in San Bernardino California to Naka and Isamu Tanaka where she grew up on the family farm with brother Seigi and sisters Toyo and Tokuko. Yas graduated from San Bernardino High School. In 1942, the family was forced to "evacuate" to Heart Mountain Internment Camp in Wyoming. Upon release from internment, the family made its way to Denver and Yas found work at Evergreen Specialties, a company that specialized in making Christmas decorations for major retail stores. She started out sweeping floors, became a bookkeeper, and eventually worked her way up to CEO and partner. Yas married John Shimizu in 1947. Together they enjoyed activities such as travel, fishing, mushroom hunting, and cheering on the Broncos until his passing January 12, 2004. Thereafter, she enjoyed lunches with friends and holiday gatherings with her “adopted” Colorado family. Together John and Yas left their mark on the community with the John & Yasuko Shimizu Endowed Scholarship Fund at Red Rocks Community College. Her feisty, yet loving and generous personality will be truly missed by her family and friends. She is survived by a sister-in-law (Alice Kouchi), a brother-in-law (Tom Nomura), and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces, and great-grandnephews. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in their name to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association.

Services are 1 pm, Friday, January 28, at Advantage Runyan Stevenson, 6425 W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood, followed by burial at Olinger Highland Cemetery, Thornton.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.advantagerunyan-stevenson.com for the Shimizu family.