Grace Nakano

Grace Nakano died on March 14, 2018, 2 days short of her 85th birthday. A long-time resident of Hastings-on-Hudson and East Hampton, NY, she was a wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many in the communities in which she resided. Most remember her for her quiet, yet strong manner, great sense of style and taste and a gracious host and cook. She was the youngest of 4 and is survived by her sisters, Yuri Takeoka and Nancy Shimaskai, son Frank, daughter-in-law Amy and grandchildren Miki and Katie.

In a remarkable life arc she was born in Fresno, California in 1934. She was raised on a farm in Fowler, California until "relocation" in 1942 to the Jerome War Relocation Center in Arkansas in accordance with Executive Order 9066 that called for internment of people of Japanese descent. Grace was 8 years old at the time of internment. In May of 1944, the government moved Grace’s family to the Rowher War Relocation Center, also in Arkansas.

After the war, the family relocated to Chicago where they settled in Hyde Park and began schooling and re-acclimation to normalcy. It was in Chicago that she spent her middle school, high school and young adult years. She began her career working in advertising and met her husband Mikio, (Miki to his friends). She and Miki were married on August 17, 1957 and lived in Chicago until 1962 at which time they moved from friends and family and headed east to New York.

Grace and Miki eventually moved to Hastings-on-Hudson, NY in 1970 where they began a suburban life, far from the farms of Northern California and Chicago. They established lifelong friendships and memories that were by their own accounts ideal. They enjoyed being active in the community and active socially with friends and neighbors. Sadly, this changed after the death of Miki in 1989. Following his death, Grace moved to be near the water in Eastern Long Island where she strategically set up life that benefitted her family and ensured frequent visits. It’s here that her granddaughters learned to swim, ride bikes, enjoy sunsets and the ocean.

An avid reader, Grace also took great pleasure introducing culture and love of classics to her family and granddaughters more specifically. “Singing in the Rain”, “The Music Man”, “White Christmas” became enduring family classics.

A memorial celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel located at 1076 Madison Avenue, NY 10028 at 2 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Grace to any of the following:

• The Japanese American Citizens League New York Chapter: 49 West 45th Street, NY, NY 10036

• The Buddhist Temple of Chicago: 1151 West Leland Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60640

• The Northside Center for Child Development: 1301 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10029