Ann Shigeko Barby's Obituary
On November 18, 2022, Ann Shigeko Barby passed away peacefully in her sleep at the age of 98, one day before she turned 99 years old.
Ann was born on November 19, 1923, in a rural village near Chigasaki, Japan (Kanagawa prefecture). She was one of four living children, and while her early years were marked by the loss of her mother who died in childbirth, she had many fond memories of growing up in pre-war Japan. She was a teenager when war broke out in the Pacific, and she lost one brother to fighting, her father to illness, and single-handedly worked her family’s farm, raised her sister, and cared for her ailing grandmother through that harsh time. In spite of many difficulties, she still managed to acquire a classical education for a young Japanese woman in tea ceremony, flower arrangement, traditional sewing, koto (Japanese harp), and home economics. Her post-war life led to work outside the home in mechanical drafting, domestic services, hospitality, and other jobs. She rejected a traditional arranged marriage after she met Henry Barby, a US serviceman originally from the Midwest, who became her husband and father to their children. Ann, Henry, and their two eldest children moved to the U.S. They settled in California, after which time they had two more children. Ann continued to work extremely hard on behalf of her family and developed a career as a beautician. She was widowed in her 60s, yet she continued to take community classes and work on ladies’ hair until her 80s, at which time she fully retired.
Ann was an avid gardener, had a strong fondness for sweets, was fiercely loyal to her family, maintained a keen sense of manners and propriety, and sought out learning opportunities every chance she got. She is survived by her four children, Caroline, George, James, and Raymond, as well as her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, among others.
There will be no public memorial service for Ann, as per her wishes. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked any donations to be made to a favorite charity in Ann’s remembrance.
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