Betty Mitsuko Yamagishi
March 29, 1927 - August 27, 2017
Betty was the third child of Tsunetomo & Hifumi Akiyama, with brothers Tokio (George), Yosh (Robert), Tabo (Jack) & sister Hiroko (Shirley). A younger brother (Takeshi) passed away in infancy.
Born & raised in Long Beach California, Betty was the always smiling, bright, all-American girl with a positive attitude.
As the eldest daughter, she helped her mom take care of her younger siblings & her father when he got ill during the family's stay in the Gila relocation camp during WWII., and soon after her marriage to Kiyoshi Yamagishi, she took in her mother to care for her shortly after her mother was struck & dragged by a car & suffered severe injuries.
Caring for others was always a big part of her life. Raising two sons, Jim & Don, hosting many family gatherings including the annual Sho-Gatsu event & birthday parties, her house was a gathering place for all friends & family. As her sons grew up, she got involved with The Boy Scouts, and after they grew out of the program, she & her husband Kiyo continued their involvement at a district level.
Always making sure the needs of others were met, she embodied the "enryo spirit" in everything she was involved with.
Leaving her job at LA county Purchasing & Stores to raise her family, she soon wound up working at her children's school, Harrison Elementary, where she stayed on to eventually become office manager & part of the administration before finally retiring after over 30 years of service. As Jim & Don entered their own careers, some of their friends also wound up teaching at Harrison, where they worked with Betty & of course came up to the house with them & were treated like family.
Betty's strong work ethic, consideration of those around her & out-of-the-box creativity were handed down to her sons, & grandchildren, providing a lasting legacy of grace.
She is survived by her son Jim & his wife, Adrienne, grand daughters Leslie (Joseph), Kelly & Joni,  Nephews David, Steve, Roxanne, Glenn, Russell, Craig, Paula, Jaqueline, Kimberly and sister in law Joyce.

A viewing will be at Fukui Mortuary Thursday evening  7:30-8:30PM, 707 E. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA and
her Funeral Services will be held at Union Church, September 15th, 7:30 PM,  401 E. Third St., Los Angeles, CA with her final resting place at Rose Hills.