Yukimi Yonetani

Yukimi Yonetani

May 2, 1920 ~ December 19, 2014

Yukimi Yonetani passed away peacefully in Sandy, Utah on December 19, 2014.  She was born to Tetsu Matsumiya and Kuhei Tsuchida on May 2, 1920 in Auburn, Washington.  Yukimi was brought to Japan at age 6 months where she enjoyed a nurturing childhood while being raised by her grandparents in Taga, Japan.  There, she received a formal Japanese education eventually graduating from college in 1939 from Otsu Kotosaiho Tenmon Daigaku, sewing college, and taught home economics at Shigaken Kutsuki Seinen Daigaku, college.

In 1941, Yukimi returned to the United States to visit family and enjoyed life in the Pacific Northwest.  As tensions between Japan and the United States grew, passenger travel was suspended and war was declared by the end of the year. Yukimi was forced to enter the relocation center in Pinedale, California and eventually was sent to the Internment Camp at Tule Lake, California.  On March 20, 1943 she married “Kay” Tatsuo Yonetani in Tule Lake Internment Camp.  They were allowed to eventually move to Utah after signing the loyalty oath.

Yukimi and Tatsuo enjoyed life in Utah and raised six children, Bessie, Glen (Nanette Johnson), Nina, Dale, Mage (William Case), and Dennis and three grandchildren, Jessica, Lindsay (Dan Wilbur), and Conner.

She was an active member of the Ogden Buddhist Church and a proud supporter of the Ogden Judo Dojo.

Yukimi is survived by her brothers, Kiwamu and Ben; daughters Bessie, Nina and Mage; and sons, Glen, Dale and Dennis.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Tetsuo and Kuhei; sisters, Lola Mihara and Mae Horiuchi; and brothers, Hitoshi, Takeshi and Satoshi.

A private family service is being held.  Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers the family requests a donation to the American Red Cross, www.redcross.org/utah.