Yayeko Pat Kihara
Obituary
February 17, 1920 – April 19, 2013
Yayeko Pat Kihara passed away peacefully at the age of 93 on April 19, 2013. She was born in Fife on February 17, 1920 to Gunjiro and Tsuru (Fujimoto) Morihiro. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Koichi K. Kihara, her sister Chiyo Kusunoki (Hiroshima, Japan) and brothers Fred Yoshito Morihiro (Tacoma) and George Morihiro (Seattle).
Yayeko Pat dedicated her life to her husband and family. She was also the Past President of the Seattle Buddhist Women’s Association (Fujinkai) and a master flower arranger of Ohara Ikebana.
She is survived by her sister Sally Kinoshita (Tacoma); her children Sandra (and George) Toriyama of Singapore, Susan (and Tats) Ogawa of San Francisco, and Margaret M. Kihara of Seattle; and grandchildren: Georgina Toriyama (Singapore), Eric Gen Ogawa (San Francisco), Melissa Yaeko Kihara-Slaker (New York City), and Janine Sakiko Slaker (Lansing, Michigan).
Yayeko Pat was a gracious and generous wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, sister-in-law, and friend who always had a welcoming smile for everyone. We thank her for all that she taught and gave to us. She will be in our hearts forever.
Memorial service to be held on Sunday, May 5, 2013 at 3:30 pm. at Seattle Betsuin Buddhist Church.
Sorry to hear about the passing of your beloved mother. With deepest sympathy. Myron