Tsune Sakamoto

July 19, 1921 Jan

29, 2021

Tsune Sakamoto, a long-time resident of San Francisco, passed away peacefully at the age of 99 on Jan 29th. She was the fifth of seven children of Yasuhe and Hatsune Sakamoto. Tsune was born and raised on the H.H. Bancroft Ranch in Concord, where her father was one of its foremen. During the Depression, Tsune and her family left for Japan to live. Tsune’s kindness and serenity reflected little of the difficult life she and her family experienced. A brother drowned three months after the Sakamoto family arrived in Japan. A sister was captured by the Red Army and sentenced to hard labor in Manchuria. Her eldest sister and her family who were living in Concord were incarcerated in an internment camp during WWII. Tsune returned to the Bay Area following WWII and worked as a clerk and later as a cashier at W&J Sloane until her retirement.

Tune shared her love of the arts and contributed her creations to local community fund raising events. Tsune’s great joy was watching the SF Giants’ games. Tsune and her younger sister, Yasuko Sakamoto, traveled extensively in Canada, Europe and Asia. Tsune is survived by nephews Jerry Tahira (Joyce), Ted Tahira (Shigeko), Cosmo Tahira and nieces Kimiyo Tahira Dowell (David) and Nina Sakamoto Hino (Rob) and many grandnephews and grandnieces. No memorial service is planned in view of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tsune will be interred at the Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette. Memorial gifts may be made to Kokoro Assisting Living that cared so lovingly for her at 1881 Bush St., SF 94109.