Dear Kristine, Darren and Shauna,
You probably don`t remember me, Melinda married to Herman Cordova. We were friends with your parents when you all lived in Olney Maryland.  
I have so many memories of playing racquetball and sharing family dinners with your Mom and Dad. We went on motorcycle rides, trips to the beach, many wonderful times with your parents and you guys.
I have a picture your Mom painted that she gave me that I have cherished however if any of you would like it for your own let me know. I just loved your parents so much, wonderful friends even greater human beings.
240-457-0784
amy1anna@msn.com

I will miss my lifelong friend who became family when she married my cousin, Don Kubose.  We grew up together in Fowler and were inseparable friends with Bernice Ito.  The three of us continued our friendship to this day. Joyce loved being surrounded by her children and grandchildren and graciously opened her home to both family and friends. It was fitting that Joyce’s last occasion at her home was to celebrate the marriage of her granddaughter Kamryn to Jouke.  I will always remember the joy on her face as she watched her family celebrate. Joyce was quiet by nature but her actions reflected her thoughtful, kind, dependable, and generous spirit.  I was fortunate to have her as a close friend and will treasure our memories.

My condolences to her family.  Such a gentle manager. Joyce was one of my favorite managers during my long career at the IRS.

Cousins: Sharon and Nancy Mizuguchi and Joyce.

On this visit, Joyce had her mother’s sewing machine fixed and we first threaded it, loaded the bobbin and Joyce sat to sew on a piece of fabric. This old treadle sewing machine sat inactive in a garage for probably over 50 years.

Kim Bukhari, Janet Mizuguchi,  Joyce Kubose and Hilary Goldner in Fowler. (10/23)
Kim and I brought our Aunt Janet to Fowler to meet her cousin Joyce. The last time they met was when Janet was about 14 years old. Our Aunt Janet said she remembered the ‘Clawfoot Bathtub’.

Joyce Okamura Kubose with her cousin and our mom, Nancy Mizuguchi Wierenga.

Dear Kristine, Darren, Shauna and Family,

I am so saddened by the devastating news of the passing of Joyce. My family and I feel so blessed to have had the fortunate opportunity to know her. 

I’ll never forget the way we met through Howard Yamagiwa, randomly mentioning Joyce by name in a phone conversation and realizing that Joyce Kubose was a name in our family tree. After briefly speaking to her on the phone, she (in Joyce style) invited me, my sister Kim and her husband Chuck to her home that same day! How shocked my sister and I were, seeing Joyce’s house for the first time, and that we both immediately recognized it from very old family photos. How thrilled we all were when we realized all of the family connections of your family to ours.  How your mom filled in many gaps from the past that we will always be forever grateful for, not to mention, the mystery of the notorious sewing machine was solved and which found its way back to its rightful home. 

Joyce will always be remembered by all who had the good fortune to know her. For me personally, I will always remember her kind, gentle and extremely generous soul. She had such a welcoming demeanor and was so inclusive to all. I can picture in my mind, her smile and hear her quiet laugh.

With warmest regards and deepest condolences, Hilary Goldner

The 2023 Nakayama Social Club gathering meeting many of Joyce’s family for the first time.

This was the return of Joyce’s mother’s (Ayako) sewing machine that we found out originally came from Gila River.

This is the day we met our grandmother’s cousin Joyce, for the first time. Such a special day that we will never forget.

My sister Kim Bukhari  and I  attended our first Nakayama Social Club Picnic (4/23). The Nakayama Social Club was the link that enabled us to find our long lost cousin Joyce and her family.

I had the incredible honor of meeting Joyce just 2 years ago, and the special connection we had will stay with me forever.  You see, it was fate that my sister Hilary and I met her.  

We took a trip to Fowler to look at an old historical book from the Nakiyama Social Club, who our Great Grandfather was a founding member.  We were introduced to Joyce, who as it turned out, had a founding family member as well, and was a relative of ours we had never met!  

After she invited us to her beautiful home and speaking about our relatives, she shared a story about how her mother had given the family Singer sewing machine, to our grandmother.  She mentioned how much she missed the seeing machine.

I was stunned, as I realized I had the exact sewing machine she spoke of, in my home.  I had been storing it for years, and just could not part with it.  

My husband Chuck and I polished it up and noticed some red numbers painted on the side I had never noticed before.  It turns out it was Joyce’s  family number from their time in the internment camp!  It was such an incredible chance meeting, that led us to Joyce and her whole family, and being able to return the sewing machine to her family.

I am truly blessed to have met Joyce and will miss her dearly, she was an incredible woman.

Attached is the photo of Joyce, my sister Hilary, husband Chuck and myself Kim, on the day we delivered the sewing machine to Joyce.

My beautiful auntie I will always remember your beautiful laughter you were allways  so happy you will be truly missed

Dear Kubose family,
   I am very sorry to know that your dear mother, grand & great grand mother, has passed away.  Joyce was a "lifetime" friend to me.  Our grandmothers were friends before we were born, and my mother considered Joyce's mother like a "big sister".  I remember playing paper dolls with Joyce in the Okamura porch while our grandmothers chatted away in Japanese!
   In school Joyce was taller,  faster and stronger than most of us girls, and smarter too.  But she never showed off.  She had the kindest, most gentle nature.
  Over the years we've moved back and forth.  When she and Don moved to Fowler, it was like "old times" back on the porch, except we were 60, 70  maybe even 80 years older!  As I said, ours was a "lifetime" friendship, very special, very rare.  I will miss Joyce dearly.  My deepest condolences.  Thank you for the wonderful photos.  To see her big smile brings back her hearty laugh and the good times we had--playing tennis, "dragging the main", sleep overs,  Girl Scouts, graduation--
Bernice Ito

My daughter (Morgan’s) College graduation

Mom and Auntie at my daughter’s graduation.

OBITUARY

Joyce Keiko Kubose

March 27, 1941 – July 2, 2024

Lisle Funeral Home

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