Compassionate mom. Loving grandma. Red hatter. QVC nut.

Susie Sumie Yabu, 67, passed away on May 18, 2012 in Reno, Nev. Born on July 13, 1944 in a Japanese relocation camp in Tule Lake, Calif., she was the only child to John and Rose Kono. Her mom worked in a dry cleaners and her dad was a barber, photographer/videographer, and Japanese-American community liaison.

Susie grew up mainly in the Richmond district of San Francisco. She was a spelling bee champ at Everett Middle School and a good student at Lowell High School. Susie was also a violinist and was in the All-City Youth Orchestra in the fourth chair position. She enjoyed horseback riding near Fort Funston, bowling and a little bit of modelling school.

She married Ben Yabu on September 13, 1964 at the San Francisco Buddhist Church. She had two beautiful, awesome, smart, talented and magnificent kids  – Steve; 42, and Chrisie; 39.

Susie loved kids and animals. She was an English teacher at the Japanese pre-schools, ABC pre-school and Little Angels pre-school. She also looked after children on Sundays at St. James Episcopal Church. Her main role was as a super mom, shuffling her kids around to their many activities, be it Steve’s Boy Scouts, basketball, baseball, drum lessons and CompuCamp, or Chrisie’s tap, jazz and ballet dance lessons, Buyo (Japanese classical dance), figure skating, choir, basketball and Campfire Girls. She also had a brief stint at the Pacific Stock Exchange as a “10-keyer” prior to having kids.

Susie was the lead of the Troop 58 Drum & Bugle Corps and has marched with the Corps in several parades, including San Francisco Cherry Blossom Festival, St. Patrick’s Day and Veteran’s Day in San Francisco.

Susie was thoughtful, caring and giving. Her and her childhood friend, Ann, had kept in touch all these years and on each other’s birthdays, had a tradition of sending ten birthday cards as a way of celebrating the occasion. She spoiled her kids, her grandkids, and her kids’ friends’ kids, and always had stickers, toys and kozukai (spending money) at her fingertips to dole out.

Susie retired in 2002 to Sparks, Nev., with the family joining her. She met new faces and friends on Ten Mile Drive, and joined the fabulous Red Hot Rebels Red Hat Society group. She also played bunco for fun. QVC was on the TV most of the time, and not only is she survived by her loving family, but she is survived by a closet full of Joan Rivers collection, Carlos Falchi handbags and Diamonique. She enjoyed her grandkids to the fullest – Benson; 8, Annie; 6 and Tristan; 8. She would also try to get to her slot machines once a week with the gals.

She is survived by Steve Yabu; son, Chrisie Yabu; daughter, Jing Long Yabu; Steve’s spouse, three grandbabies – Benson Yabu, Tristan Scott and Annie Yabu, and Kenji; her sweet Bichon Frise.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ben Yabu.

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