Sumiye Iwata

Sumiye (Sumi) Iwata, age 93, of Lakewood, Colorado passed away on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at home surrounded by her daughters, Rebecca Wood (Rex) of Middletown, DE and Debra Miller of Lakewood, CO. Her husband of almost 68 years, Ira, preceded her in death in 2022. She was the youngest of seven children. All her brothers and sisters predeceased her.

Sumi was born on June 17, 1933, in Gonzales, California to Yenzo and Tokuyo Shiramizu. In 1942, her family was ordered to relocate to the Poston (AZ) War Relocation Center after living for several months in converted horse stalls at the Santa Rita Rodeo grounds which served as a detention facility until the internment camps were completed. Sumi remembered limited schooling, frogs in the group latrines, communal showers and the never-ending dust blowing through the tar paper walls. Over the years, she participated in remembrance ceremonies, locally and nationally, and spoke to history classes at schools about her experiences in the internment camps.

After World War II ended, Sumi and her family moved to Denver where she graduated from Manual High School and worked for several local companies such as Perkins Pickles, Ralston Purina and Mid-Continent Refrigeration. She met Ira in high school, and they married in 1953. Wanting to match her children’s school schedule, she began working for Jeffco Schools as an administrative assistant at Creighton and O’Connell junior high schools and in Personnel at the Administrative building. Many principals appreciated Sumi for her discerning eye in finding them great teachers, and many Lakewood area graduates remember Mrs. Iwata fondly as a friendly, helpful and understanding soul, even if they couldn’t pronounce her name.

After retirement, Sumi swam nearly every day with her friends in the aqua fitness classes at the Green Mountain and Carmody recreation centers. She also enjoyed quilting, gardening, dancing with Ira, and, importantly, cheering for her Denver Broncos. Sumi was also a dedicated caregiver to a multitude of family and extended family members over many years, giving selflessly of her time and heart.

Sumi reveled in the exploits of her six grandchildren: Adam Wood (Leah), of Mt. Kisco, NY; Taryn Wood, of Woodbridge, VA; Emily Gerhard (Ryan), of Castle Rock, CO; Katie Miller (Myles McKeever), of Omaha, NE; Paul Miller (Elise), of Spokane, WA; and Sara Miller, of Lincoln, NE. She was even more enchanted with her six great grandchildren: Macyn, Lawrence, Noah, Adrian, Valerie, and Weston. They got to spend quality time with their Bachan, especially on FaceTime.

There will be a celebration of Sumi’s life on Friday, November 6, at 4 pm. Please contact Becky or Debbie for details and they will send an e-vite with information