Utako Ozawa

UTAKO OZAWA IDAHO FALLS, ID -- Utako Ozawa, 83, died on March 15, 2005, of natural causes at the home of her daughter, Keiko Ozawa Rohrdanz, and son-in-law, Robert Richard Rohrdanz in Idaho Falls. She was born on November 5, 1921, in Kanagawa, Japan, to Hikozo and Machi Takimoto Tanaka. Utako’s childhood was often turbulent and difficult. Most of her early life was spent living with foster families in central Japan. Only able to complete the sixth grade, she expanded her interests and skills sewing kimonos, knitting sweaters, cooking, and traveling. In 1943 she married Akira Tanaka in Shizuoka and they had two sons. Akira was killed in the war. In 1952, she married Tsuneo Ozawa, and they had one daughter, Keiko Ozawa. Tsuneo preceded her in death in 1990. Utako is survived by two sons, Hideji Tanaka and Junich Tanaka, one daughter, Keiko Ozawa Rohrdanz, two grandsons, one granddaughter, one great grandson, a daughter-in-law, Ayako Tanaka, and a son-in-law, Robert Rohrdanz. Except Keiko and Robert in Idaho Falls, all live in Japan. Most of her life Utako lived in Shizuoka near Mt. Fuji, Yokohama, Hitachi, and Tokai-mura, Japan. She was a wonderful wife and a loving mother. Utako was a strong person, rarely complaining about anything. She enjoyed cooking and eating well-prepared Japanese and American home-made food, Japanese folk music, visiting family and friends, and traveling. Later in life, she was able to visit many cherished sites in Japan, and to travel to Taiwan and the U.S. with Robert and Keiko. She was awed by America; its vastness, beauty, and wildlife were mostly beyond anything she had experienced. One of her biggest dreams came true when she moved to America in 2002 to live with Keiko and Robert. Here, she enjoyed cooking special Japanese foods, a comfortable home with a backyard with grass and flowers, and watching Japanese video programs. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. Utako was Buddhist and wished that her memorial be held only in Japan. She requested that her ashes be placed with those of Tsuneo Ozawa, her second husband, at the Zenkoji Temple in Nagano, Japan. As her death approached, she was comforted greatly by the Hospice of Eastern Idaho, which provided the care and support to allow her to depart this life peacefully and with dignity. Her family requests that donations be made to Hospice of Eastern Idaho, 1810 Moran Street, Idaho Falls, ID, 83401. Arrangements are under the direction of Wood Funeral Home.