Obituary of Fusaye Ogawa

Fusaye Ogawa died peacefully and comfortably at her care home at the age of 88. Fusaye was born in Isleton, California, the third child of Masayuki and Kitsu Kuranaga. She grew up in a farming family and moved several times to various locations throughout central California. When World War II broke out, the Japanese-Americans in her community received evacuation orders that year, forcing them to leave their homes and relocate to Poston Internment Camp in Arizona. Fusaye trained to become a nurse's aide in camp. After the war, the family moved to Los Angeles to join relatives who settled there. Fusaye went to work as a nurse's aide at the Japanese Hospital and met Joe Ogawa. Joe and Fusaye married in 1954 and raised two daughters. Fusaye was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker in a three-generation household. In 1993, Joe and Fusaye moved to Soquel to enjoy their retirement years and be closer to their family. After Joe died in 2009 just short of their 55th anniversary, Fusaye moved to San Jose to live closer to her daughters. In the last years of her life, she charmed everyone around her with her graciousness, sweet disposition and beautiful smile. Fusaye is survived by her daughter Cathy Stonie and her husband Dorian of San Jose, her daughter Julee Ogawa and her husband George Kent of Los Gatos, and her four grandchildren, Daniel and Rachel Kent and Matthew and Morgan Stonie. Memorial services will be held on Saturday, August 25th at 2:00 PM at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, 640 N. Fifth Street in San Jose. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to suggest that donations be made to The Alzheimer's Association or to Hospice of the Valley. The family wishes to thank the owners and caregivers of JAKS Residential Care Home in San Jose and the hospice team of Hospice of the Valley. If you would like to send your condolences to Fusaye's family, share your memories, view or post photos, light a candle, please visit www.scmemorial.com