Pansy C. Nagase

Pansy C. Nagase Died peacefully at home on March 27, 2008, at the age of 97. Pansy Chiyeko Hiura was born in Sebastopol, CA, on March 11, 1911. Her parents had immigrated to this country from Japan and owned a fruit dehydration plant. She was one of nine children. She married Martin Yoshio Nagase in 1927. It was an arranged marriage, and she was just 16 years old. They had five children: Harold "Tats," Cuthbert, who died in infancy, Edward, Magnus and Bernice. Pansy and Martin owned and operated a general store in Santa Rosa. During WWII, the entire family was interned in the relocation camps set up in the western United States for people of Japanese ancestry. Pansy and the children were in Poston, AZ, while Martin was moved around to various camps. After the war, the family moved to Watsonville and then to San Francisco, where they owned a grocery store. Pansy's husband Martin died in 1973, and her son Ed died in 1986. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Sakamatsu Joseph and Ayame Mary; her brothers Charlie, Frank, George, Bill, Pearce, Tom, and Wilfred; and her sister Anna. She is survived by her son Tats and his wife Arly Fong; her daughter-in-law Peggy; her son Magnus and his wife Mary, and her daughter Bernice Chen and her husband Hank. There are eight grandchildren: Joey, Julie, Tamiko, Holly, Gary, Michael, Tara, and Lia. She is also survived by eight great-grandchildren, five sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. Pansy will be remembered for her sense of humor, her keen mind, her good cooking, and especially for her love of family. She will be missed. A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, April 12, at 2:00 p.m. at Ashley & McMullen Funeral Home, 4200 Geary Boulevard, San Francisco.