Emiko Shinagawa

Jan 7, 1930 – Feb 25, 2018

Emiko “Emi” Shinagawa died peacefully at home February 25, 2018 at the age of 88. Emi was born in Berkeley on January 7, 1930 to parents Shizuo and Kimiyo Sasaki, from Japan.

The family was interned at Topaz, UT during WWII. After camp Emi graduated from Balboa High School and Lux College in San Francisco. She was married to John Tetsuomi Shinagawa just short of 50 years, raising four children in Richmond. Emi worked 32 years at Irwin Memorial Blood Bank (San Francisco), retiring in 1982 as Administrative Director, after which she established a business, Emi Enterprises, selling handcrafted calligraphy, greeting cards and Washi Ningyo dolls. Emi was a community volunteer and member of Berkeley Higashi Honganji, Contra Costa JACL, J-SEI (formerly JASEB), Nikkei Lions and – after moving to Milpitas in 2010 – Yu-Ai Kai. She enjoyed traveling, puzzles, pinochle, Mahjong, bingo, penny slots, and her beloved dog Mitzy, adopted in 2015.

Emi is survived by her children Robert, Susan (Robert Norberg), Arthur (Robin), and James; grandchildren Richard, Austin, Courtney and Michael; sister Sachiko (Hiro) Ando, and many nieces, nephews, and greatnieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband John, grandson Thomas, and brother and sister-in-law Ichiro and Fumiko Sasaki.

Memorial services will be at 1:30 P.M., Thursday, March 8 at San Jose Buddhist Church, 640 N. 5th Street, San Jose. In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations in Emi’s memory be made to Yu-Ai Kai Japanese-American Community Senior Service, 588 N. 4th Street, San Jose, CA 95112, http://yuaikai.org/.