SHIZUYE (SUZIE) AOKI (KOBAYASHI) -

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SHIZUYE (SUZIE) AOKI (nee KOBAYASHI) 1910 - 2006 On Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at the Victoria General Hospital, Shizuye Aoki peacefully passed away with her family at her side. Shizuye is survived by her daughter Evelyn Findlay (Gary Ridley) and grandson Ian (Jennifer); son Dr. Fred Aoki (Grace) and grandchildren, Robert (Avery Czarnecki) and Katherine. She is also survived by her sister Shigeko Nagasaka of Vancouver; her sisters-in-law, Mitsue Norio, Yone Kobayashi of Toronto and Takako Aoki of Japan, her many nieces and nephews in Winnipeg, British Columbia, Ontario and Japan and her oldest and dearest friend, Sumiye Omotani and her daughters, Irene Tatsumi and Kuni Omotani. She was predeceased by her husband Fred (1975); her infant son Glennie, her parents and her four brothers, Kiyomi, Victor, Tak and Coby Kobayashi. Suzie was born, the second eldest of six children in Steveston, BC on February 25, 1910. She spent much of her childhood in Japan, returning to British Columbia in 1924 at age 14. She enrolled in school, starting in Grade 2, to learn to speak English and later attended Tailoring School in Vancouver. She married Fred Masuo Aoki in 1937 and they operated a dry cleaning and tailor shop on Dunbar Street in Vancouver. In 1942, during the war, Suzie, the children, her parents and family were moved to Morris, MB to work on a sugar beet farm. Her husband was sent to the interior of British Columbia, only rejoining them several months later. Suzie and Fred relocated to North Kildonan in 1943. About 1946, Suzie started dressmaking from her residence on McKay Avenue, specializing in wedding gowns. Many Winnipeggers of a certain age may recall that she made their wedding dress. Later, she also worked at the Fashion Centre and in the garment industry. Amazingly, she continued to do alterations from her home until she was 93. Suzie enjoyed traveling and in her later years, accompanied her children to Japan, England, Sweden, Australia and on road trips across Canada. She loved a bargain and the best bargain of all was to go to the Kenora area and pick blueberries and fish for trout, all for free. The family would like to thank her many friends who visited, and all her care givers, including: Manitoba Home Care, the Tenant Companions at the Rosewood Village (especially Greta De Groot), the caring Nurses, Health Care Aides and Physicians at the Victoria Hospital on 3 South and 4 South, especially, Mary Buchanan R.N., Connie Pesce B.N. and Doctors, Thorlakson, Tomy and Horvath and her long time family physician, Dr. C. Isaac. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 22 at 4:00 p.m. at the Manitoba Buddhist Church, 825 Winnipeg Ave., Sensei F. Ulrich officiating. Sadly, our little Energizer Bunny's batteries have died. Arrangements entrusted to: VOYAGE FUNERAL HOME CREMATORIUM FAMILY OWNED OPERATED 220 Hespeler @ Henderson Hwy. 668-3151

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 18, 2006