Mrs. Akiko Akabane Latham of Winter Park, FL passed away on May 3, 2024. Akiko was born on Feb. 5, 1934 at Aizu-Wakamatsu, Japan to Saburo and Toyo Aida Akabane. She is survived by one child of a previous marriage; Emi Yokouchi and son-in-law Masayuki Yokouchi of Tokyo, Japan, two step sons Robert Latham, of Morrisonville, NY, David Latham, of Huntsville, AL, and one step daughter, Joanne Blackford of Ocala, FL. She also leaves three grandchildren of Emi Yokouchi: Miho Kasuya (daughter), Akira Yokouchi (son), and Mami Yokouchi (daughter) of Tokyo, Japan. Predeceased by her parents and sisters Mitsuko Foley of Newport News, VA, Ryoko Rivera of Deland, FL, Tetsuko Igarashi of Yokohama, Japan and brother Takeshi Akabane of Yokohama, Japan.
Akiko was born in Aizu-Wakamatsu where she also attended school. During the Second World War she was in elementary school and helped raise sweet potatoes that were planted over the entire school grounds. After completing elementary school she went on to junior high school for three years. Following the war she went to Wakamatsu Girls High School and attended St. Xavier English School at the same time from April 1950 - March 1953. St Xavier was a tuition free Catholic sponsored business school where she learned accounting and English conversation. This was five days a week after completing her regular high school classes.
Upon graduation following her father's death, she went to Tokyo to join an older sister working for American families to help support her mother who was raising five children and two grandchildren. She applied for a job near where she was living for U.S. Forces in Japan at Green Park, a large dependent housing project within Tokyo. With her ability to speak English and her business education she held several different positions over the next twenty years within the Green Park Project. They included Library clerk, MWR secretary, Secretary for the Commanding Officer, Communications office secretary and FAA/Japan secretary. This was from 1956-1976. Retiring after 20 years.
Following her marriage to Robert J. Latham and his retirement from the U.S. Air Force they returned to the United States living in Winter Park, FL. Once they settled in Winter Park she applied for a position at the Orlando Navy Base MWR as an accountant and worked there for thirteen years until the Navy Base closed. Akiko entered full retirement in 1999. Akiko was a member of Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church.
A public visitation from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM will be held Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home, 7520 ALOMA AVE, WINTER PARK, FL 32792. A funeral service for Akiko will be held Tuesday, May 21, 2024 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Baldwin-Fairchild Funeral Home, 7520 ALOMA AVE, WINTER PARK, FL 32792.
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