“She was a firecracker.”

Shian Tamae Saito (or Shi to those who were close to her) was born on November 27, 1928, in Pahala, Hawaii, to her parents Takaharu and Ito Danbara.

She had five siblings: Chishiko, Takako, Danny, Gene, and George.

While in high school, she met her soulmate, Saburo Saito. They were married on December 16, 1950, and a year later, their daughter, Lynn Ritsuko Saito, was born on December 8.

For nearly 30 years, she worked as a registered nurse at Kau Hospital. Throughout her life, Shi loved a good laugh, entertaining, Girl Scouting, singing and playing the ukulele, a good Danielle Steel book, crafting, and most importantly, a good hand of poker.

She became a grandmother in 1983 when Lynn and her son-in-law, Donald, had their first son, Keith, and later, Kyle in 1987.

California became her permanent home in 1995, staying with Lynn and Don first, before settling in her own condo in West Covina.

She loved playing Bingo with her friends, watching All My Children and re-runs of Everybody Loves Raymond, and enjoying a famous star from Carl’s Jr. or Clucks n Fries from Red Robin.

In 2017, she entered her great bachan chapter when her grandson, Keith, and his wife, Chrystal, welcomed their daughter, Keiko, into the world. Nothing made her happier than seeing her grandkids and great-grandkids smile.

She peacefully left us on July 26, 2026, in her sleep.

She is survived by her brother, George Danbara, her daughter, Lynn Fujimoto (and Don Fujimoto), her grandchildren, Keith Fujimoto (Chrystal Fujimoto) and Kyle Fujimoto (Stacie Fujimoto), and her great-grandchildren, Keiko Fujimoto, Coltrane Fujimoto, Clyde Fujimoto, and Kira Fujimoto.