Jean Masako Kitashima

Jean (Masako) Muroya Kitashima passed away on August 11, 2026, in Denver, Colorado, at the age of 90. She had fallen ill in late March & early April and never fully recovered. In her later years, she had grown quieter as dementia gradually took hold — but to the very end, she remained, at her core, the same quiet, strong, and steady presence her family had always known.

Jean was born on January 5, 1936, in Greeley, Colorado, the oldest of nine children. A gifted student, she graduated valedictorian of her high school. She went on to attend college, transferring to a second school because of her love of math and science, but withdrew after her mother passed away that May so she could help raise her younger siblings — the first of many times in her life she quietly put family first.

She married her husband, Takashi (Tak) Kitashima, and they were married for 59 years before his passing in 2016. Together Jean and Tak made their home in Denver, where the family was baptized and their faith took root. They raised three sons — Wes, Stu, and Matt — while Jean built a long career in insurance, eventually becoming a commercial underwriter. Her work took her across the country, from Denver, Colorado with stops in San Antonio, Texas; Overland Park, Kansas; Dallas, Texas; and Chicago, Illinois. Jean drove the 1947 Chevrolet on the farm but never obtained a license to drive. That never slowed her down — she always found friends & coworkers to carpool with, whether to the office or to church. No matter where her career took her, Denver remained home, and she returned at least once a month to spend time with Tak, their neighbors, friends, her children and her grandchildren.

She is survived by her three sons: Wes (Mimi) Kitashima of Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, Stu Kitashima of Denver, Colorado, and Matt (Molly) Kitashima of Centennial, Colorado; five granddaughters: Laura (Danny) Giglio of Marietta, Georgia, Leah (Ryan) Kitashima-Johnson of Dallas, Texas, and Elliott, Vail, and Quinn Kitashima of Centennial, Colorado; and three great-grandchildren: Tommy and Teddy Giglio and Emery Johnson. She is also survived by her siblings: Tom Muroya, Sam (Ising) Muroya, Hal Muroya, Marilyn Muroya Settles-Clark, Rick Muroya, and Richard (Tina) Muroya, along with 15 nieces and nephews and 15 great-nieces and nephews, who adored her; and in-laws: Miye Onodera & Ken Nakauchi with 22 nieces and nephews and 20 great-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hajime Harry (Mabel Tokunaga) Muroya; her husband, Takashi Kitashima; her sisters, Alyce Sakamoto and Sherri Muroya; her in-laws: Jeri Muroya, Dave Sakamoto, Jan Muroya, Bill Settles, Mike Clark, Grace Muroya, Ben (Betty) Kitashima, Nort (Moonza) Kitashima, Akie (Flo) Kitashima, Riichi (Evelyn) Kitashima, Nuie (Bill) Motoyama, Herb Onodera, Kaz (Kinu) Kitashima, Cecil (Mable) Kitashima and Mary Nakauchi.

Jean loved her family above all else, and there was nothing she treasured more than bringing everyone together. For years, family remember her staying up all night preparing a huge New Year's Day spread of Japanese food, opening their home to both the Kitashima and Muroya sides of the family, along with friends and neighbors who grew to love the tradition. She had a gift for showing up for people who needed her, and she instilled faith in her children and grandchildren in a way that was calm and never pushy. Ironically, this tiny Japanese woman from Colorado was also famous — among family and friends alike — for her cheese grits, a recipe that will live on in the hands of her granddaughters and the generations after them.

Jean was quiet but strong, determined and smart, and a hard worker who was known to carry the workload of several people at once. She loved nothing more than a good fight over the check at a restaurant, and time spent simply being together with family — especially her grandchildren.