Fumiko Tanaka

FUMIKO TANAKA IDAHO FALLS, ID -- Fumiko Kusaba Tanaka, 87, passed away January 4, 2006, at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane, Washington, from complications following a successful heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm. Fumi was born July 15, 1918, in Sage, Wyoming, the eldest of four children born to Hanshiro and Naka Kinoshita Kusaba. Fumi attended schools in Wyoming and graduated as valedictorian of her Cokeville High School class in 1936. She furthered her education by attending Kinman Business School in Spokane, Washington, and a sewing school in Salt Lake City, Utah. Fumi married Masao Tanaka January 17, 1941, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She supported her husband in farming all through their married lives. From 1949, they raised their five children in Shelley, Idaho. To help supplement their farm income, she worked for White Star Laundry as a seamstress and accountant for several years, as a Mary Kay consultant for a time, and for the NRTS site as a librarian until she retired in 1985. Masao passed away July 4, 1986. As a member of the Methodist Church, she was a devout Christian whose religious beliefs were a significant influence to her family and others as she served in activities with Women’s Aglow and Walk to Emmaus organizations. Fumi was multi-talented and loved to crochet and garden, taught herself to play the piano, accordion, violin and harmonica, and enjoyed bowling, square dancing, playing cards and loved animals, especially her cats. She is survived by a daughter, Lorraine Tanaka, whom she lived with for the past 11 years in Moscow, Idaho. She is also survived by four sons; Ken (Betty) in Richland, WA, Michael (Mindy) in Shelley, ID, Terry (Michelle) in Burley, ID, and Layne in Boise, ID, and by two sisters, Hiroko Tominaga of Paul, ID, and Mieko Hashimoto of Bountiful, UT. She has 9 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.. She was preceded in death by her husband and a brother, Takaharu Kusaba. Funeral Services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 14, 2006, at Trinity United Methodist Church, 237 North Water Avenue, with Pastor Brenda Sene officiating. A luncheon reception will follow at the church. Private Burial Services will be held at a later date in Fielding Memorial Park Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Wood Funeral Home.