Barbara Kazuye (Kurimura) Matsudaira

Barbara (Kurimura) was born January 19, 1927 in Seattle, WA.  She was second to the youngest of seven children – five brothers, one sister.

She attended Garfield High School as a freshman until she was relocated to the Japanese internment camp, Camp Harmony (the site of what now is the Puyallup Fairgrounds) during WWII in 1942 when she was 15 years old.  This is where she met the one and only love of her life, Michael Matsudaira.  It was love at first sight!  A year later Michael was relocated – Barbara realized her true love for him at this point.  She was also moved to another camp in Minidoka, Idaho where she remained until 1945.  She graduated as senior class Vice President and Mardi Grass Princess from Hunt High School while in camp.

After reconnecting with the love of her life, Barbara Kurimura married T-Sgt. Michael Matsudaira on June 29th 1946.  She was the first to marry into the Matsudaira clan.  They were married for 38 years until his passing in 1984.  Barbara is survived by her three children (Dennis, Kathie, and Shari), six grandchildren (Brandon, Taryn, Ryan, Tyler, Bryant, and Lindsey) and six great-grandchildren (Mason, Tia, Cameron, Rumi, Luke, and Raizo).

Barbara worked as a secretary at the Providence Hospital Nursing School before taking time to be a stay-at-home mom, and later returned to the workforce in the china/silver department at Friedlander & Sons.

Barbara and Michael were avid league bowlers for many years at Imperial Lanes.  She was an amazing cook and was always quite good at mastering whatever craft or hobby she took up (knitting, sewing, quilting).  She enjoyed watching sports (Seattle Supersonics and Seattle Mariners), shopping, taking walks, and having lunch with friends, many of whom she has known for over 70 years.

She absolutely loved dogs, especially her beloved cocker spaniel Sheina who was her faithful companion for many years.  She loved her sweets - anything dark chocolate, especially Frangos and SEE’s lollipops.  Her love of sweets was so strong that it carried onto the next three generations.

One thing that we can all agree on is just how sweet she truly was, full of laughter and kindness.

Barbara Kazuye Matsudaira passed peacefully in her sleep on September 25th 2023.  She can finally be reunited with the love of her life.. her match made in Heaven.

- Care Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Services Lake View -