Memorial services for the late Mrs. Chieko Sugihara, a 91-year-old, Denair, California-born Kibei-Nisei former resident of Salt Lake City and internee of Manzanar Relocation Camp during WWII who passed away on December 8, 2011 at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, CA were held privately at Pasadena Buddhist Temple in Pasadena, CA, under the direction of Fukui Mortuary.

She was born February 20, 1920 in Denair, CA to Toyokichi and Kuni Toriihara. Chieko married Eddie Masaharu Sugihara on July 19, 1937 in Hiroshima, Japan. She was evacuated to Manzanar Relocation Camp, California in April 1942. She relocated to Chicago, Illinois in 1944 and settled in Salt Lake City, Utah in 1945. Eddie owned Standard Produce until his retirement in 1992. She cared for Eddie who had emphysema, coronary artery disease, glaucoma and rheumatoid arthritis. Due to her own health issues, she and Eddie moved to California to be with their daughter in 2001. Eddie died in October 2001.


Chieko was an amazing, devoted Daughter, Wife, Mother, Aunt and friend. She was generous and kind to all she met. She was an amazing cook and loved to sew.

She is survived by her daughter, Pamela (Justin) Kindred; grandson, Wyatt Kindred; sister-in-law, Mildred Kakuda of Hawaii. Also survived by many nieces, nephews and other relatives. Preceeded in death by her parents, Toyokichi and Kuni Toriihara; beloved husband Eddie Masaharu Sugihara; siblings Koyo, George and Giro Toriihara, and nephew Hisayuki Sueyoshi.