Tamiko Kawaguchi Shimabukuro

1935 ~ 2021

Viewing:

April 15, 2021
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
260 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Directions to Viewing
  • Service:

    April 16, 2021
    11:00 AM
    260 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT
  • Directions to Service
  • Tamiko was born in Hooper, Utah to Ichitaro and Jun Matsudaira Kawaguchi. She was the 6th of 12 children. She graduated from Weber High School in 1953. Went on to complete beauty school and eventually own her owned beauty salon. She also worked several years for the State of Utah and then for Social Security until she retired at 70.

    Mom grew up on the farm so we always had a garden in the summer time. She was very proud when her zucchini plants would produce so many that she could feed the whole neighborhood and she was willing to share them with everyone. She was always willing to try and grow anything: tomatoes, corn, squash, chili plants, green peppers, egg plants etc. She loved comparing her garden with others.
    Mom loved to go bowling and would bowl 3 times a week. Everyone that she bowled with just loved her and didn’t even know her name she was just “Gram”. She was also known to give people nicknames and if you were lucky enough to get one it was your name for life.
    Mom Loved to shop, she would go down each and every isle and look at everything. She was always looking for something for someone else because she thought that they needed it, a prank, or to put in a game.

    To her family she was known as “Tom” that was first given to her by her siblings and carried on throughout the rest of the family. She was always known in the family to cause fun mischief. She loved to stir the pot then sit back and see how things played out. She had the most fun to see the chaos it would cause and see the fun everyone had.

    Gram was survived by her children – Joanne (Ronald) Russell and Jeffery (Tammy) Shimabukuro. Grandchildren – Tami Russell, John Brady Chadwich, Jeffery Crosby and Braxton Crosby.

    Survived by her Siblings – Kikuko Tawatari, Mistuko Kawaguch, Aiko (Bob) Flowers, Noriko (Mel) Swanson and Yaeko Bryner.
    Proceeded in death by her Parents Ichitaro and Jun Kawaguchi, her Husband - Paul Kiyoshi Shimabukuro. Children - Dean Shimabukuro and Julie Jun Shimabukuro. Siblings – Iwashige (Shige) Kawaguchi, Hideharu (Deb) Kawaguchi, Yosaku (Yo) Kawa, Ike Kawaguchi Jr., Tsuneko Nakamura and Kazuko Kawahara.

    The family would like to thank Utah Cancer Specialists, Intermountain Health Care and Summit Home Healthcare for the exceptional care they provided.

    Services will be held at Larkin Mortuary at 260 East South Temple in Salt Lake City, UT. Viewing will be Thursday, April 15, 2021 between 6pm and 8pm. Funeral services will be held Friday, April 16, 2021 at 11:00 am with a viewing 1 hour prior to the service.
    The family is asking anyone who is attending to please wear masks and social distance.

    The services were recorded and can be viewed here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/JnnXSN9mlbsDER3pSf1Ak8X0HDbIASdYMXnD5w6PwsaimB0SzKTWj9LLoL4XjUhn.rxFGQ7Kufoidpbvg?startTime=1618591147000



    Guestbook/Condolences

    So sorry to hear about your loss. I will never forget her sitting up in those softball stands with her very distinct horn (which she so kindly brought another for my mom LOL)! She will be missed dearly by everyone who’s life she touched. Much love to her family.


    - Carm Stewart

    I'll miss this dear lady. She had a great sense of humor and was always willing to help out. She was a good cook and introduced me to many foods I'd never had before. Her family were reflections of herself, good people who she was justly proud of. She brought joy to all of us. Sleep in peace sweet Tami.


    - Geoffrey Scowcroft