Alice Midori Shimazu

Resided in Penngrove, Alice Shimazu, 94, passed away peacefully at her home on October 21, 2018 surrounded by her family, relatives, and close family friends.  She is now reunited with Tom, her beloved husband of 28 years. Devoted mother of son Gerald and daughter Jan (husband John).  Dear sister of Marilyn Taketa and sister-in-law of Seiko Hara.  Survived by numerous nephews and nieces.  Preceded in death by brothers Masao Matsumoto (wife Kim) and George Matsumoto (wife Dorothy), sister Helen Tsujihara (husband Mitsuo), brother-in-law Tom Taketa, brother-in-law Harry Hara, and sister-in-law Chi Nakamoto (husband Bob).

Born and raised in Petaluma, Alice graduated from Petaluma High School in 1941.  Her Santa Rosa Junior College education was interrupted in 1942 by WWII when Japanese families were forced to relocate to internment camps.  She and her family were sent to Amache in Granada, Colorado.  When the war ended in 1945, Alice and her family returned to their poultry ranch (kindly cared for by family friends) in Petaluma.  A few years later, she married Tom Shimazu and they had two children.

Alice retired, after 26 years, as Payroll Manager for the Petaluma City School District.  She was a member of Enmanji Buddhist Temple, Enman No Tomo Senior Group, and Sonoma County JACL.  In her earlier years, she served as a Sunday School teacher, YBA leader, Enman No Tomo Senior Group board member and exercise leader, and Enmanji Teriyaki Bazaar food preparation helper.  Alice enjoyed gardening, baking, sewing, crafts, senior exercise classes, Enman No Tomo Senior Group, watching baseball on TV, playing slot machines in Lake Tahoe, dining out, and spending time with her family.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial service for Alice on Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at Enmanji Temple Memorial Hall located at 1200 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol, 95472.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Enmanji Buddhist Temple (address above), Enman No Tomo Senior Group (same address as temple), Sonoma County JACL (515 Petaluma Avenue, Sebastopol, 95472), or Hospice of Petaluma (416 Payran Street, Petaluma, 94952).