Fumi Ishihara Danque

from

03/17/1936 to 08/13/2020

Fumi was born in Davao, Mindanao, Philippines on March 17, 1936 to her Japanese father Tsuta Ishihara and her Filipina mother Anunciacion Torres. In 1941 the Japanese invaded the Philippine Islands, and the Filipino government interned Fumi and her family because her father’s Japanese ethnicity. In 1945, when Fumi was 9 years old, the family was repatriated back to Japan. Fumi often shared how frightening it was to be a child and threatened by adults with guns.

Fumi embraced her father’s country of origin as her own, learning to cook and speak Japanese. She also embraced the country she was born in and learned to speak 2 dialects of the Philippines Islands. Because of her exposure and propensity to learn languages at an early age, Fumi fluently spoke 4 languages: Japanese, Tagalog, Bisayan, and Spanish.

As a young adult, Fumi worked as a civilian clerk on the Yokosuka Japan Navy base. There she met Navy Enlisted man Porfirio B. Danque, and after 2 weeks of dating, Porfirio proposed and they were married.

In 1960, Fumi, Porfirio and their three small children all under the age of 5 years old (Gloria, Yunice and Denny), traveled by Naval Ship from Japan to San Francisco, California. The Danque Family settled in Long Beach, California, long enough to have Flora. Then the family moved to Waukegan, Illinois where Porfirio was stationed until 1965 when he was ultimately stationed in San Diego, California. In 1969, Porfirio, Fumi, Gloria, Yunice and Denny became Naturalized United States citizens.

Porfirio and Fumi purchased their first home in Chula Vista, California. Once Flora was in high school, Fumi successfully obtained a high school diploma from Chula Vista Adult School. By then, Fumi was able to add English as the 5th language she spoke fluently.

Fumi worked as a nurse's aide at Chula Vista Community Hospital, which would later become Sharp Chula Vista Hospital. Fumi transferred to the Central Supplies Department where her love for cleaning brought out the best in her. Fumi was also utilized as the Chula Vista Community Hospital Japanese interpreter. Fumi retired after 22 years of service and Porfirio encouraged her to deposit every penny she earned into a savings and retirement accounts.

In retirement, Fumi pursued her love for gardening. Along with daughter Yunice, they successfully competed in rose and orchid competitions. Fumi enjoyed taking care of her fruit trees and various plants, which often brought her into direct conflict with fruit stealing squirrels. She often gave bags full of fruits to her adult children, neighbors, friends, and even her mailman.

Fumi also had a love for cooking. She could never understand why anybody would “eat outside,” when there was so much good food at home. Fumi rarely used cookbooks or measuring cups. Despite having memory loss due to multiple strokes, Fumi would ask Flora to stop by in between patient visits to teach her how to cook new dishes. Fumi did have a weak spot for tacos, which was one of her last meals at home.

Fumi’s greatest love was her family. Although she ruled her home with an iron fist, Fumi was often generous and supported her adult children and grandchildren through college and graduate school. Porfirio & Fumi instilled a strong work ethic and lead by example. From the 1970-1980s, every Sunday, Porfirio and Fumi would pack their 4 children into the back of their Toyota truck at 4 am to clean the strip mall parking lots that were owned by Porfirio and his sister-in-law. Later, Porfirio and Fumi sold their share of the strip malls and purchased a 12-unit apartment complex. Even after Porfirio’s death on May 25, 2017, Fumi participated in managing the apartments with her adult children.

On August 5, 2020, Fumi and Yunice were on their way to pick up the rent checks when the vehicle they were driving in was involved in a head-on collision. The day before her death, Fumi told her family and caregivers, “Daddy is coming home. Daddy is meeting me. There is going to be a big party.” On August 13, 2020, Fumi succumbed to her injuries and passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends, under the care of Apreva Hospice.

Fumi is survived by her 4 adult children, 8 grandchildren, sister Shizua Guiron in Jacksonville, Florida, and brother Toshio Ishihara in Japan.

Mama, may you Rest In Peace with our Father.