Thursday, July 21, 2022

Rest in peace, dear Sister Junko

Our delightful friend Junko Shimizu, with whom we shared our Brentwood Ward experiences in the late 60's, passed away at the age of 88 at her home in Salt Lake City, UT on Sunday, July 17, 2022.

This petite little woman excelled academically as a teen and young adult living in Japan and was a natural born leader where in Sugiyama Girls High School she was appointed as student body president.

She valued education highly and was willing to commute to school from the countryside into the big city of Nagura by bicycle, bus and street trolley followed by a long walk each day rain or shine, in the bitter cold or stiflingly humid Japanese heat. She loved music and acting and had a beautiful soprano voice. She enjoyed participating in various choirs and acting troops throughout her adolescent and young adult life.

She met the missionaries from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while still in Japan and soon after her baptism she moved to the U.S. to further her education. During her time in Los Angeles she was known as Grace Idehara and attended Los Angeles City College before transferring to UCLA where she earned a bachelor's degree in Geography in 1964. Although she came to the U.S. as an adult she had near native English pronunciation.

Junko married the very tall, handsome Masaru Tom Shimizu in the Los Angeles, California Temple in 1964 and brought 4 sons - Tim, Scot, Mark and Joshua - into the world!  Tim and Kelly were very close in age when we moved into the Brentwood Ward, but Scot and (I think) Mark came along later, both with a long, thick shock of black hair from the minute of their arrival on earth.  

Junko and I would frequently arrange time together - often with other young mothers and kiddos - for a walk and time spent with the kids in a neighborhood park.  It was a wonderful time of getting better acquainted and sharing Mom stories.

A few months ago, Tom and Junko were traveling through St. George on their way to SoCal and stopped for a gathering of a few Brentwood friends for lunch at the Pizza Factory.  She was my usual happy, friendly sister, so I was totally shocked to hear of her passing.  

Junko (we knew her as Grace) led a life of service devoted to God, family, her community and many people who were her friends.

She served 2-years as a proselytizing missionary in Yokohama and Sapporo, Japan (1957-1959); 3 years as Supervisor in the Japan Central Mission Relief Society, Young Women and Children's Organizations during her husband's tenure as mission president (1971-1974); 2 years as Companion to the President of the Japan Missionary Training Center (1996-1998) with a 3-month interlude as Companion to the Interim Mission President in the Sapporo Japan Mission (1996).  

In 1998, she served 6 months as Companion to the Interim Mission President in the Nagoya Japan Mission in (1998); and, 18 months as Companion to the Public Affairs Director in Japan (2001-2003).

She also served the women of her church as a member of the Relief Society General Board from 1974 to 1984. In addition, she served in many ward and stake callings.

She was active in civics and politics on various boards and committees such as the Women's State Legislative Council, Japanese American Citizens League, YWCA, Women's Republican Club, Salt Lake Council of Women, etc. and was a tireless advocate for her husband's campaigns for Salt Lake County and U.S. Congressional offices.

She was a patriotic American citizen and was especially proud of being co-chair of the Days of '47 Parade float "Britain Honors The Constitution" that won first place in the historical float division in 1987.

Her public affairs mission was an exciting and fulfilling time as it coincided with the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. She helped answer questions from national media outlets about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as questions about Utah in general.

Her general board assignments took her to various places throughout the U.S. and East Asia to train and teach local leaders. One life she touched on her travels was a man who approached her after she spoke at a meeting.  He told her how he had struggled to let go of the hate he felt towards the Japanese people for decades since World War II but after he heard her speak, the hate finally left him and he was able to feel at peace.

Junko loved the people she served and with whom she served. She looked forward to reunions and visits when people came in from out of town. Family trips were packed with visits to former mission companions, church members, friends and family including distant relatives as she enjoyed family history work. As part of her genealogical work, she would go beyond just finding data but would search out stories and living descendants in order to deepen and broaden family ties.

Junko is survived by her husband Masaru Tom Shimizu, sons Timothy (Valentina), Scot (Cara), Mark and Joshua, granddaughters Naomi, Elisabeth, Christiana and Sofia, and brothers Hidetoshi (Kieko), Tetsuo (Noriko) and Masatake (Michiko). 

You will be missed forever, dear Sister Junko!

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