Itsumi May Okazaki

Itsumi May Okazaki, born May 26, 1930, passed away at home surrounded by family on January 28, 2022 after a brief illness. She was born in Okayama, Japan where she spent her youth, then graduated and taught at Kobe College of Dressmaking. She immigrated to the U.S. after the war and was naturalized in September 1957.

Itsumi worked in Women’s Alterations at The Bon Marche, Littler, and Nordstrom, specializing in beadwork and formal attire for many of the who’s who of Seattle. Her family and many close friends cherished her exquisite handmade clothing and expert alterations. At the height of her career, she designed a beaded and lovingly created wedding gown for her daughter, along with all the bridesmaids and flower girl dresses and a couple of formal dresses for herself for the occasion. In her retirement she enjoyed bunka shishu Japanese embroidery, jewelry making with precious gems, sewing, knitting, and other handicrafts. She enjoyed sharing flower gardening, Japanese cooking, handicrafts and fellowship with her friends who were her chosen family at Japanese Presbyterian Church.

Itsumi is preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Frank, and is survived by daughters Joy (Michael) and Lynne (James), her grandchildren Jayna and Trent, nephews Robert Yokota, Richard Yokota, Eric (Gena Gee) Kasahara and their sons, Curtis & Jeffrey.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: Japanese Presbyterian Church of Seattle www.jpresby.org/giving/ or the Kubota Garden Foundation www.kubotagarden.org.