Suzuko Kawaguchi

1925 - 2025

Suzuko Kawaguchi passed away peacefully on November 12, 2025 at the age of 100 in San Marcos, Texas.

Suzuko was born on the island of Awaji in Japan's Inland Sea to Tatsuemon and Sachiyo Umoto. Suzuko had an older sister, Kimiko and younger sister Masako and the family of five moved to Fukuoka, Kyushu where Suzuko graduated from Maebaru High School. Her family then moved to Kyoto where Suzuko went to Fukuchiyama Dressmaking school and then to Kyoto Women's College majoring in Home Economics.

Suzuko began her career as a teacher in Kyoto. She first taught at Meitoku High School and then Kizu High School in Kizu, Kyoto. In both schools, Suzuko taught home economics and in particular sewing. Her many skills would come in handy when she immigrated to the US in the following decade.

Suzuko met Motohiro Kawaguchi, originally from Tottori, and they married on November 3, 1949. They lived in Kamo near Suzuko's parent's home and later moved to Kizu and welcomed their daughter, Hiroko, and then their son, Yoshihiro. Suzuko stopped teaching and focused her energy on her growing family, continuing to sew, knit, and crochet clothing for her children, Motohiro, and herself.

In 1960, Suzuko immigrated to the United States with Motohiro, Hiroko, and Yoshihiro to join Motohiro's parents, Yoshikazu and Mitsu Kawaguchi who were living in Chicago. Suzuko helped manage her father-in-law's apartment on the South side of Chicago before the family moved to the North side of Chicago where Jiro, their youngest son was born. The family of five moved to the Lake View area where Suzuko managed Sun Cleaners and did alterations while caring for Jiro who was then a toddler.

By the time Jiro was in elementary school, Yoshihiro was at Lane Tech High School, and Hiroko at the University of Chicago. Suzuko began doing alterations and fittings at Kane's Boutique in the Ambassador East Hotel on the Near North Side of Chicago. She then joined the alterations and fitting department at the Carson Pirie Scott Department Store in downtown Chicago. The management appreciated Suzuko's fine sewing skills and asked her to work on altering designer clothes at the Corporate Level and bridal dresses until her retirement in 1998. Suzuko often presented her other crafting skills of origami, fabric dyeing, dress design, and painting in various media including watercolor at the Carson's Art shows. She received recognition that she hardly ever shared with her family until her children found evidence of newsletter coverage and photographs that she had tucked away.

Suzuko and Motohiro had been married 49 years and were living in Chicago when Motohiro passed away in 1998 just a year short of their golden anniversary. Suzuko retired that year from work but continued her crafts particularly sharing her art with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. As each of her grandchildren, Amy, Nathan, Lisa, and Jeremy married, Suzuko folded 1000 origami cranes and hung them as a bouquet creating the senbazuru, wishing happiness and a long and prosperous marriage for each of her grandchildren and spouses to be. After 1000 cranes for each grandchild, Suzuko also folded another 1000 for Hiroko and Max and was working on the 1000 for Jiro.

In 2009, Suzuko and Yoshihiro decided to move to San Marcos, TX to be near Hiroko and her family. Suzuko was able to enjoy being with her grandchildren and the growing number of great-grandchildren now numbering 11.

Suzuko is survived by her children Jiro Kawaguchi of Charlotte and Hiroko Kawaguchi Warshauer (Max) of San Marcos; her four grandchildren Amy Warshauer (Carlos Soto) of Austin, Nathan Warshauer (Nicole) of Cedar Park, Lisa Lowrance (Adam) of Poughkeepsie, and Jeremy Warshauer (Jennifer) of Austin; eleven great-grandchildren Fineas, Penelope, Victoria, Jasper, Maddy, Kensey, Calvin, Juliana, Margaret, Maxwell, and Theo; sister Masako Higashitsuji, five nieces and nephews, and their families in Kyoto, Japan.

A memorial service will be held at the Price Center, 222 W. San Antonio St. in San Marcos, TX at 1 pm on Sunday, November 23. Memorial donations may be made to the Midwest Buddhist Temple at https://mbtchicago.org/donate-now/ or to a charity of their choice. Memorial Website: https://www.forevermissed.com/suzuko/

November 12, 2025