CANISTEO-Kiyo A. Ichikawa passed away peacefully January 25, 2016 at her home at the age of 98.
Born June 17, 1917 in Hood River, Ore., to Tomeshichi and Itsu Akiyama, Kiyo was the eldest of five children. The Akiyama family were fruit farmers in the Hood River Valley of Oregon.
Kiyo graduated from Walla Walla College.
She was sent with her mother, father and brother with other Japanese Americans for three years in concentration camps in Pinedale and Tule Lake, Calif., and Minidoka, Idaho.
Kiyo was preceded in death by her parents, husband Thomas and brothers Henry and George Akiyama and sister-in-law Grace Akiyama.
Kiyo is survived by her son, Gordon (Dawn) Ichikawa, step grandchildren, Kara (David) Jiusto and Brad Burd both of Canisteo, NY and Kalee (Laird) Updkye of Homer, NY and many step great grandchildren; brothers, Saburo (Betty) Akiyama and Noburo (Florence) Akiyama, and sister-in-law, Ruth Akiyama all of Hood River, Oregon, Ada Honda of Spokane, Washington and Mary Benoit of San Diego, California, and numerous nephews and nieces, and lastly her dog Maggie.
Several years after the death of her husband in 2004 she moved to Canisteo, NY where her daughter-in-law, Dawn, managed unwavering care for Kiyo for 10 years. Kiyo was warmly welcomed by the Beers and Burd families, who collectively made her feel as one of the family with a special thanks to Mabel Beers who, along with Dawn traveled with Kiyo to Aruba and numerous military reunions that Kiyo and Tom frequented.
Kiyo was also instrumental in the growth of all the family business’; T&K Communications, Inc., GRI Telecom, Inc. and Tower Broadcasting, Inc.
A special thanks to all the caregivers and friends who made the latter years of her life special, with a special thank-you to Kathy Suk, Krissy White and Linda Wright who cared for Kiyo for so many years and treated her with exceptional love and care.
To send a remembrance to the family please visit www.brownandpowersfuneralhomes.com. The family is being assisted by Gerald R. Brown, Director.
The family will be present to receive friends on Sunday (January 31, 2016) from 2 until 4 PM at the Brown & Powers Funeral Home 6 Spruce St. Canisteo. A memorial Service will follow calling at 4PM with Father Thomas Gramley officiating.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the Hornell Area Humane Society 7649 Industrial Park Rd. Hornell NY, 14843.
