Mariko Mari Okumoto

Mariko Mari Okumoto, 71, passed away on May 10, 2024, at the Carson Guest Home board and care facility where she resided for two months. Prior to Carson Guest Home, she resided at her apartment in Gardena for five years.
Mariko was born on September 2, 1952, in Los Angeles, CA, third generation Japanese-American. The family moved to Gardena, CA in 1968, and she graduated from Gardena High School in 1971. She lived in Japan for about a year in the early 1970s and became fluent in Japanese. After returning from Japan, she worked as a nursing assistant for several years until 1981 when she started experiencing symptoms of mental illness and went in and out of hospitals for five years. In 1986, she began treatment at Coastal Asian Pacific Islander Mental Health Center. Her recovery was made possible by the doctors, therapists, and professionals at Coastal. In 2000, she joined a peer support program called Project Return: The Next Step where she improved her social skills, leadership skills, and self-confidence. She continued with Project Return as a volunteer, and in 2008, she was hired as a Peer Supporter helping others with mental health challenges through shared experiences and advocating for mental health and peer support programs here and in Japan. She worked for Project Return Peer Support Network until she retired in 2019.
Mariko was predeceased by her parents Toshiaki and Youko Okumoto. She is survived by her sister, Akiko Okumoto. She is also survived by her aunt, Yoko Okumoto; and cousins Nancy Smith, Ted Fujimoto, Kazuko (Jim) Workman, Julie (Don) Mah, Harriet (Dana) Shioji, Dale (Momo) Yuzuki, Larry (Susan) Yuzuki, Yasuko (Matt) Takemoto, Sadayoshi Okumoto, and other relatives here and in Japan.
Memorial service will be held on Sat., June 15, at 1:00 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2000 W. Artesia Blvd., Torrance, CA 90504.