Junko "June" Kitabayashi Matsunaga

June 30, 1938 - February 4, 2025

Junko Kitabayashi was born in East Los Angeles, CA to issei parents Tomejiro Kitabayashi and Suyeko Kusu Kitabayashi. She had two older brothers, Tamotsu Kitabayashi and Richard Hiromu Kitabayashi. Junko grew up in West Los Angeles. She spent her early years in and was a survivor of Poston, AZ Incarceration Camp.

After graduating from UCLA in Education, Junko "June" Kitabayashi enjoyed a 17-year long career as a teacher at Braddock Elementary School. She worked an additional 33 years at Nora Sterry Elementary School as a Teacher's Aid, Librarian and Science Coordinator.

Junko enjoyed going on road trips, playing the piano, watching soap operas and game shows, quilting, photography, doing jigsaw and crossword puzzles, and playing board games. Scrabble was her favorite.

She married Roy Kenji Matsunaga in 1968 and were lifelong partners for 57 years until her death at age 86. She is survived by her husband, two daughters, Debora Keiko Matsunaga Pettit, Stephanie Akemi Matsunaga, a son-in-law Norman Pettit, and two grandchildren, Alyssa Akiko Pettit and Kai Hiroshi Pettit.

Junko was a quiet and gentle soul who loved hummingbirds and butterflies. She was deeply loved and will be forever held in her family's hearts.