She is the beloved daughter of Jukichi and Ine Nakajima. She was born in Gumma-ken, Japan, and the second youngest of nine children. She is also remembered by her many nieces and nephews, extended family members, and dear friends in Japan.
Toshiko leaves behind her husband, Jerry, and her children: Kenny (the late Pat) Hart, Don Hart, Susie (Carl) Hartman, and Patti (Steve) Wisniewski. She is a proud grandmother of 17 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
Toshiko’s life was rooted in resilience and deep respect for family and tradition. As a member of Japan’s pre-war generation (senzen-umare), her childhood nurtured a quiet yet powerful strength and a natural curiosity that carried her through every season of life.
On August 2, 1957, Toshiko married Jerry, a member of the United States Air Force, who was stationed in Japan. He was having a suit made, and she worked as a seamstress. Their meeting marked the beginning of a lifelong partnership built on love, courage, and shared adventure as their military status stationed them in various locations. In 1959, she bravely left everything familiar to begin a new chapter in the United States. Together, they created a life grounded in strong family values, grit, and perseverance.
Toshiko was known for her feisty spirit, hard work ethic, and devotion to her family and friends. She joined SGI (Soka Gakkai International) in 1963 in Tacoma, Washington, and her Buddhist faith, centered on the phrase “Nam-myo-ho-renge-kyo” and a belief in world peace, remained a guiding force throughout her life. She built deep, lasting connections with her SGI family.
Toshiko expressed her love through her generosity, her honesty, her thoughtfulness, and the countless sacrifices she made for others. She loved the outdoors, birding, foraging, tidepooling, flower gardens, fishing, and picking blueberries. She was very talented in sewing, knitting, crocheting, and loved all crafts. She was always working on a project of some sort, tending to her flowers or feeding the birds and squirrels.
Her family, who loved and admired her, will carry her lessons forward: remembering to stop and pay attention to details, to take the shortest, most efficient path to their destination, to never waste time, to be adventurous, and enjoy life and nature together with the people they love.
Though her absence leaves an immense void, her spirit lives on in the hearts of her loved ones, in the stories shared, and in the traditions she passed down. Toshiko’s life was full of strength and compassion, and her memory will remain a guiding light for generations to come.
She will be dearly missed and forever remembered.
The family will greet guests from 11:00 am until the time of service at 2:00 pm on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at Edward Swanson & Son Funeral Home, 30351 Dequindre Rd., Madison Heights, Michigan.
Private inurnment at Great Lakes National Cemetery at a future date.
