Keiko Partridge

Keiko Partridge of Carlsbad, California died on March 9th, 2016 under care of an amazing staff at the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital in San Diego County. She was born June 11th, 1936 in Tokyo, Japan. She lived in Tokyo until the she was 6 years old when she, her mother and brother moved to the countryside to avoid the inevitable danger of the onset of WWII. She spoke of memories of how she helped the neighboring farmers shell soybeans after school. She lost her mother toward the end of WWII.

After WWII, she moved back to Tokyo where she attended an English Mission High School. She was reunited with her two older sisters who had remained in the city to work in the factories during the war. Her father was a Japanese/English interpreter who assisted during the peace talks. When Keiko was in her late teens her father passed away.

She met her future husband, Gerry an American Marine stationed in Japan. When his tour was up he returned to his childhood hometown Billings, Montana. After pondering his future, he reenlisted specifically so he could go back to Japan and reunite with Keiko.

When Keiko, her husband and first child were stationed back in the U.S. she worked diligently to obtain her US citizenship. She was a devoted military wife and mother of three children.

One of Keiko and Gerry's favorite things to do was to see America through road trips and camping. After her husband's death she continued her zest for travel and took many trips including an around the World cruise and a recent trip to Turkey.

Hobbies she loved were cooking, sewing, crocheting, walking and especially all styles of dancing. She loved the San Diego Chargers!

She was known to be witty, honest, straight-forward, classy, feisty and fun!

Keiko was preceded in death by her husband Gerald Partridge of Billings, Montana, father Asazo Kato of Japan, mother Yoshi Sugiyama of Japan and brother Gero Kato of Japan. She is survived by her sisters Akiko Ichihara of Tsuchiura Ibaraka-ken, Japan and Yoshiko Ridgway of Baltimore, Maryland, son James and daughter-in law Patricia Partridge of El Cajon, California, daughter Teresa and son-in-law James McCarthy of San Marcos, California and daughter Linda and son-in-law Eric Wright of Goodyear, Arizona, 18 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.

The family asks that you consider donations to help the research of Scleroderma. Envelopes will be provided at the memorial service or you can donate at http://www.scleroderma.org.