Toshiko Yukawa-Sunohara

Toshiko Yukawa-Sunohara

September 16, 1929 - August 5, 2026 

Toshiko Yukawa “Toshi” was born on September 16, 1929 in Port Blakely, WA. on Bainbridge Island, “B.I.”. She was the youngest child of Eizo and Shizue Yukawa, elder brothers were Sumio and Junji. The Yukawa family were strawberry farmers. Toshi had fond memories of her childhood years on BI. She lived there until the age of 12 when she and 276 other Issei and Nissei were torn from their farm homes to be taken to Manzanar and then to Minidoka Internment camps on March 30, 1942.

 In Camp, Toshi and six other Nissei girls from BI, lived in Minidoka camp block 44, ate together, went to school together, played together, formed a friendship bond and called themselves 7-UP. Pastor Emery Andrews from Japanese Baptist Church, “JBC” often visited the camp. There, Toshi became a Christian and was baptized, in 1943. Toshi and the 7-Up girls got together at least once a year and sent each other birthday cards and letters through the years until about 2020 when they couldn’t physically meet anymore. 

In Aug. 1945, they were released from camp and moved to Seattle to a yellow house in International District “ID”. Toshi went to Garfield HS, then to University of Washington to become a teacher. She met her husband, Tadao Sunohara at JBC. They were married July 29, 1951. They had a strong and loving marriage for 45 years. 

Toshi began working at Whitworth Elementary School in September 1951 as a 1st or 2nd grade teacher. They adopted Lucy in July 1961. She quit teaching for the next 13 years. She was a kind, loving mother raising Lucy. Toshi put together two birthday parties a year for Lucy. She had a family party inviting relatives such as grandparents and cousins. Then for the other party, Lucy would invite a few school and neighborhood friends. It was always a big celebration. In 1974, she went back to college. She taught at Seattle Central Community College as an English as a Second Language teacher under Mrs. Rachel Hidaka. 

Toshi went regularly to Japanese Baptist Church for many years. She had many friends there. She helped with their annual Sukiyaki Dinner, by making the best kakimochi from scratch and other delicious Japanese treats. 

Tad and Toshi enjoyed going to stage plays and musicals, traveled to Japan twice, the east coast to visit Sumio and family, Hawaii, Salt Lake City, Disneyland with Lucy, and to the WA and OR coasts. Toshi liked cooking, baking and sewing, and working in her garden growing flowers, vegetables and fruits especially tomatoes and strawberries. 

She lived in a condo in Madison Park for 30 years. She took care of Tadao for a few years. After Tadao passed away in 1997, Toshi, being very independent, went on trips and outings with her friends and family. Lucy and her second husband, Stephen Richter took her on a trip to London and Paris in 2017 for her 88th birthday. 

Lucy married Stephen Bloedel in 1985. Toshi was instrumental in the adoptions of Hana and Micah from Korea. She went with Lucy and Stephen to Japan and then to Korea to pick up Micah in 2000. During Hana and Micah’s childhood, she came to visit, babysit and play with them often. 

Lakeshore Retirement Community was a good place to live where she could be with her 7-Up friend, Lillian Aoyama daily for dinners. She knew and met other friends there, too. For her last 6 years, she has lived at Lakeridge Adult Family Home where Tuula and helpers took good care of her. She passed away peacefully on August 5, 2026 at 4:55am. 

Toshiko is survived by daughter Lucy (Stephen) Richter, grandchildren Hana Bloedel and Micah Bloedel, sister in law Kathleen Yukawa, niece Stephanie (Lloyd) Yukawa, nephews, Bob (Soo) Yukawa, Steven (Liane) Yukawa, Peter (Corrie) Yukawa, and their families. 

Toshiko is predeceased by her parents Eizo and Shizue Yukawa, her husband Tadao Sunohara, brothers Sumio (Hope) Yukawa and Junji Yukawa.

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Arrangements Entrusted to Emmick Family Funeral Home - Lake View