Posted on 05 February 2010
By Shaodan Chen
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
Masako “Masa” Murakami, the last of four children in the well-known Murakami family, recently passed away on Jan. 29 at the age of 90.
Masa contributed to her family’s store, the Higo 10 Cent Store (later the Higo Variety Store), throughout her life with her enthusiasm for the imported household goods and business.
“She had a wonderful outgoing personality that was engaging, and she enjoyed meeting and conversing with customers and friends who visited the Higo store each day,” said Craig Murakami, Masa’s nephew. “For over 10 years, the Murakami family had many devoted customers and some came from far parts of the world, visiting the store each time they returned to Seattle.”
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Raymond Jiro Takisaki
By Stacy Nguyen
Northwest Asian Weekly
Raymond Jiro Takisaki passed away on Dec. 10 from cancer. He was 85.
Takisaki had eight siblings and was living in Seattle when the United States entered World War II. His mother, Mine Takehana, died soon after she gave birth to her last child. Read the full story
Qian Xuesen
BEIJING (AP) — Qian Xuesen, a rocket scientist known as the father of China’s space technology program, died on Oct. 31 in Beijing, the official Xinhua News Agency said. He was 98 years old.
Qian, also known as Tsien Hsue-shen, began his career in the United States and was regarded as one of the brightest minds in the field of aeronautics before returning to China in 1955. He was driven out of the United States at the height of anticommunist fervor.
Qian set up China’s first missile and rocket research institute, which later helped to start China’s space program. Read the full story
William Lum Sing
William Lum Sing died on Aug. 21 in Seattle due to complications from a stroke. A businessman, Sing was a key figure in raising funds for the Chinese Baptist Church, was an active member and former commander of Cathay Post 186 of the American Legion, and contributed to the expansion and renovation of the Wing Luke Asian Museum in Seattle in 2008.
Sing is survived by his wife Lily, two children, Bill Jr. of Los Angeles and Merrile of Chevy Chase, Md., and one brother, Fred of Washington, D.C. Read the full story
Posted on 12 August 2009
Commander Bok Pon
On July 21, Commander Bok Pon passed away due to a deteriorating liver caused by Hepatitis B.
Three years ago, Commander Pon was diagnosed with Hepatitis B. Even with this prior knowledge, Pon did not stop helping people and continued his duties at American Legion Post #384, known as Cathay Post.
Three years later, an MRI scan showed that his liver was badly damaged and his time was very limited. After hearing this news, Pon became more determined to finish his mission and flew to Washington, D.C. to finalize his duties. Read the full story
Corazon Aquino
By Elaine Kim
Northwest Asian Weekly
During her lifetime, Corazon Aquino was a symbol of hope and change for Filipinos. She was the first female president in all of Asia. To many, Aquino was more than a president. She was considered to be a mother to all Filipinos, and her recent death has caused sorrow for many in Seattle. Read the full story
On May 23, Colonel Sunao (Phil) Ishio passed away in his sleep.
Ishio is remembered for starting and developing the Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA). Current President Bob Nakamoto credits him for bringing JAVA, a small organization when it was formed, into a nationally respected and recognized entity.
Ishio was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1941 and received intensive Japanese language training in order to serve in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service. Read the full story
Ted Pang
Ted Sun Yet Pang passed away due to a heart attack on Sunday, May 3, the day after his 80th birthday.
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On May 27, George Uchida passed away from complications from a head injury. Uchida was a former scoutmaster who mentored U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke.
Judge Sandra Otaka, a member of the Chicago JACL and a leader in the Asian American community, has passed away.
BERKELEY, California (AP) — Ronald Takaki, a pioneer in the field of ethnic studies who taught the University of California system’s first Black history course, has died. He was 70.
