This afternoon of Monday February 19, 2018, I attended two funerals. The first was at 5:00 P.M. for Mrs. Miyono Shimoda held at Jodo Mission of Hawaii where she was an active member. My mom and I greeted the family. As President of Jodo Mission, I represented the organization in placing incense in the incense holder to pay respect to Mrs Shimono as Bishop Yubun Narashiba and Rev. Kanjun Nakano chanted. My grandparents Maurice and Bessie Karamatsu were friends with her and her late husband Robert “Bob” Shimoda. I got the opportunity to spend time with Mrs. Shimoda when we volunteered at Jodo Mission of Hawaii, who was always very nice. She passed away at age 96, and will be missed. It saddens me to see the friends of late my grandparents leave.
At 6:00 P.M., my mom and I joined my dad to attend the funeral of Thomas Yukio Okubo at Nuuanu Memorial Park & Mortuary, my dad’s cousin on my grandma Bessie Karamatsu’s side of the family. He was a construction manager for Mitsunaga Associates, and passed away at 65 years old, a young age for our time period.
I feel vulnerable. The impermanence of my existence and those I know becomes more and more real with each passing day.
#memorialservice #funeralservice #memorial #funeral #friend #miyonoshimoda #family #thomasokubo #peace #love
JON RIKI KARAMATSU 