Phoebe Nishimoto

She was born on February 14, 1989, in Long Beach, California to Kim (Wilkerson) Valdez and Robert Nishimoto. She grew up and attended school in southern California, including exploring her passions for music, language, and cultural anthropology at San Diego State University. After graduating from SDSU, she taught English at the Plookpanya School in Thailand and served in the Peace Corps (2016-2019) as an English literacy facilitator on the island of ‘Uiha in Tonga. Phoebe went on to attend Bowling Green State University (2020-2021) where she got her Masters in Cross-Cultural & International Education, and there she met her wife, Emily Perry.

Phoebe was devoted to learning about the world around her and dedicated her professional career to providing opportunities for others to do the same. She served as a study abroad advisor at Central College (Pella, IA), University of Iowa (Iowa City), and as an assistant director of study abroad at the University of Missouri (Columbia, MO). Phoebe knew the importance of language as a form of connection with others and enjoyed learning Tongan, Japanese, Spanish, and more. She loved trying new crafts and skills like photography, jewelry, print making, painting, and punch needling. Most of all, she had a love and immense talent for music and found some of her dearest friendships through these experiences. She was a beloved percussion instructor for Helix Charter High School & Mt. Carmel High School; performed with a variety of groups, including with the Pasadena City College Honor Band in the 2006 Rose Bowl parade, San Diego Alternative Percussion from 2009-2010, and the Pulse performance ensemble in 2011; traveled to Accra, Ghana to learn West African drumming styles with the Akwaaba Ensemble, and most recently, loved performing with Iowa’s Soten Taiko group (2021-2025).

Phoebe’s life and impact will be remembered by so many, including her wife, Emily Perry of Columbia, Missouri; her mother, Kim (Wilkerson) Valdez and her husband, Chuck, of Conroe, Texas; her brothers and sisters: KC Valdez and his wife Wendy, Dominic Valdez, Natasha Valdez, Max Nishimoto and Hannah Nishimoto; her aunts and uncles, Eileen (Nishimoto) & Jeffrey Rodrigues of Victorville, California, and John & Susan Wilkerson of College Park, Maryland; her cousins Geoffrey Rodrigues and Ginger Wilkerson, and nephew, Spencer Robertson; along with many other relatives, friends, and loved ones whose lives were made better by knowing her.

She was preceded in death by her father, Robert Nishimoto of Monterey Park, California.

A memorial service will be held in her honor on Saturday, July 11 at 11 am at 15583-89 Brookhurst St, Westminster, CA 92683.

We know that Phoebe’s family and friends are spread out around the United States and beyond, so Phoebe hoped that all who are unable to attend the service would instead go out for a delicious dinner with loved ones that evening (or at another time) in her honor. Pictures of your gatherings to be shared with Phoebe’s family can be uploaded at this link https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/columbia-mo/phoebe-nishimoto-12928682/add-memory .