Chizu Kubo passed away on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 in her home in San Jose, CA., just shy of her 97th birthday. She was a resident of Santa Clara Valley for over 75 years. As was her wish, Chizu was able to stay in her home until the end, surrounded by her family.
Chizu was born in Vacaville, CA to Issei parents Tsurukichi and Tokie Matsuura. She was active in girls sports, as well as in Buddhist church and Japanese community activities. She graduated from Vacaville High School in 1942. That same year, with sisters Josephine and Helen and brother Ben, the entire family was relocated to the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona for the duration of WW2.
After World War 2, the family moved on to Cupertino, CA and settled in at the Pon Ranch where Ben worked as the foreman and the rest of the family worked seasonal orchard jobs—picking cherries, cutting apricots and picking prunes.
Chizu married Yone Kubo in 1948 and together they raised a family of two boys –Duane and Larry—and immersed themselves in family life. Chizu became a hair stylist and worked in beauty salons in the Santa Clara Valley for over 40 years.
Chizu had the boys active in many endeavors from Little League to school events to Buddhist Church activities and the Community Youth Service (CYS). She always made sure her boys had pressed trousers at school and clean uniforms for their games.
Chizu was a core member of the San Jose Gardener’s Association Auxilury. In her later years she was grateful for the many activities at the Yu Ai Kai Senior Center in Japantown San Jose.
After retirement, Chizu engaged in creative endeavors along with her girlfriends which included many beautifully crafted and framed Japanese Bunka (embroidery) pieces.
Chizu and Yone were well-known for their love of travel and the many motorhome trips they had taken since the 1980s. They were early RV travelers criss-crossing the country as well as adventuring all the way to Alaska with their good friends, the Itatani and Idemoto families.
In their later years, Chizu and Yone greatly enjoyed the many sports and school activities of their grandchildren. When commenting on her granddaughter Justine’s success in high school basketball, Chizu would remind us that when she played, she was one of the two girls allowed to cross midcourt to play both offense and defense. In that era, most girls were considered too weak to play fullcourt basketball.
Chizu’s husband Yone passed in 2016. She is survived by her two sons, Duane (Lucien) of Soquel, CA and Larry (Karen) of Foster City, CA, grandchildren Miasa (Christopher) Wong of Reno, NV, Darren Kubo of Sacramento, Ca, Kurtis Kubo of El Dorado Hills,CA, and Justine Kubo of Boston, MA. She is also survived by her sister, Helen Mukai of Sacramento, CA., and numerous nieces and nephews.
Due to covid concerns, only a private family service will be held.
Special thanks and recognition to Belma Agruda and Cora Pascual, Chizu’s longtime caregivers.
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