Eleanor Mayeda's Obituary
Eleanor was born to Motonoshin and Sumiko Motozaki on December 13, 1933 in Centerville, CA. The family lived in Centerville until they were relocated during WWII. They initially moved to Tanforan racetrack in San Bruno, and eventually were interned in Topaz, UT. After the war, the family returned to Fremont where she graduated from Washington High School and attended the University of California, Berkeley. Kay and Eleanor met at a JACL event around 1955 and were married in November 1958. They moved to Union City and lived on the family farm until 1972, when they moved to Newark. Except for the time in camp, she never lived more than five miles from where she was born. She passed away unexpectedly on December 16, after celebrating her 83rd birthday and 58 years of marriage.Over her life, Eleanor worked off and on in various office jobs at nurseries, bookstores and an optometry office. But her passion and purpose in life was her family. She and Kay raised five children: Paul, Roy, Mary, Dwight and Ruth. She told Kay that she loved him daily, and others have commented on how affectionate they were as a couple.She created a home that was warm and welcoming to all who came. Her children’s friends were always made to feel at home when they came over. As her children got married, she embraced their spouses and brought them into the family. Their grandchildren were a joy to her, so Grandpa and Grandma traveled often to see them in Seattle, Los Angeles and Minnesota.She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Robert and sister Joan Yamagata. She is survived by her husband Kay, sister Carol, sons Paul (Patty), Roy (Darcy), Dwight (Rose), daughters Mary Barr (Bill), Ruth Markenson (Brian) and grandchildren Daniel, Dana, Lauren, Rachel, JoJo, David, Adam and Hana.
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