KAORU MURAKAMI

Kaoru Cora Murakami Cora was born on August 18, 1923 in Kirkland, WA to Torahiko Tokunaga and Tori (Kashiwamura) Tokunaga. Her family farmed and later moved to Redmond, WA. Cora attended grade school through high school in Redmond. When World War II started Cora had enough credits to get her diploma from Redmond High School before her family relocated to Quincy, WA. In Quincy, Cora worked with her family on a farm. Near the end of World War II, Cora left to attend chick sexing school in Landsdale, PN. There she met George Murakami, and they were married on December 19, 1948. Cora and George traveled and worked for chicken hatcheries for two years, living in Idaho, Texas, and Mississippi. They later moved to Auburn, WA and briefly work on a relative's farm. Soon after they bought a house in Sumner, WA. For 13 years Cora and George did chick sexing work at For's Hatchery in Puyallup, WA. Cora was later hired by Boeing initially as a janitor and later transferred to the shop to deburr parts and finally to the shipping department, sending parts to various locations. After 10 years Cora retired. After retirement, Cora and George moved to Tacoma, WA. There she loved tending to her flower beds and cooking for friends and family. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law Lois (Murakami) Saito and Jeff Saito (Ontario, OR), grandchildren Laurel Saito (Tacoma, WA) and Grant Saito (Boise, ID), and sibling Jack Masakazu Tokunaga (Maple Valley, WA). Cora was preceded in death by her parents Torahiko Tokunaga and Tori (Kashiwamura) Tokunaga, husband George Murakami, daughter Pamela Jean Murakami, and siblings Harold Haruo Tokunaga, Joe Yoshio Tokunaga, and Sam Susumu Tokunaga. The family would like to acknowledge the compassionate and endless support of Ron and Karen Murakami, Joe and Nancy Schneider, Arlene Thilmony, Julie Kanemoto, and the staff at Clare Bridge at Shoreline View, Franciscan Hospice, and Franciscan Hospice House. A memorial service will be held at the Tacoma Buddhist Temple located at 1717 S. Fawcett Ave. in Tacoma on Saturday, August 30th at 12pm. Please leave online condolences at www.GaffneyCares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.