Kinue Violet Fujita

Kinue “Violet” Fujita passed away peacefully in her sleep on May 31, 2024, just three weeks after celebrating her 101st birthday with her family. She was the last surviving sibling of seven children by her parents (Chokichi and Koharu Okamoto).

Violet was born on May 11, 1923, in El Monte, California where she lived with her parents and four sisters (Rose, Fumie, Hamae, and Mitsue) and brother (George). When she was 13, her family moved to Wakayama-ken, Japan where her father bought an orchard and farm, and her fifth sister (Kaoru) was born. After completing high school, she went on to attend the Musashino Academy of Music in Tokyo. After graduating from the Academy, she taught at the Gujo Haman Girls High School in Gifu. After the end of WWII she moved on to work for a chaplain on the Johnson Airforce Base in Tokyo. There, she met her husband, George Fujita, and moved to Fife, Washington where she lived until she was 97.

After returning to the US, Violet worked in many capacities but found her job as an employment counselor at the Washington Employment Security Department—where she helped struggling individuals become independent—the most fulfilling. She also joined the Whitney Memorial United Methodist Church, a Japanese American church located in Tacoma, Washington. The church was the center of Violet’s community for many years, and she was an active and faithful member until its closure in 2016. She continued her love of music by teaching piano, singing for her church, weddings, and funerals, attending operas, and most recently, singing along the halls of the Weatherly Inn in Tacoma, where she lived for her final years. She was known to all for her compassion, faith, musicality, humor, intelligence, work ethic, and loyalty to friends.

What truly drove Violet was her love of family. She made sure her husband, children, grandchildren, and great-granddaughter were truly loved and cared for in every way. She spent years driving and picking them up, cooking wonderful food (including sushi, various Japanese dishes, and her famous birthday cake), doing laundry, going on shopping sprees for her grandchildren, and singing songs over and over at her grandsons’ requests. Violet was the cornerstone of her family, and her wisdom and values she imparted on them guides them through their lives.

Blessed with a long life, her presence will be missed. She is survived by her daughter, Sharon (Tony) Lovrovich, son Garry (Susie) Fujita, grandsons Adam (Meghan Smith) Lovrovich, Michael (Lisa Nakasone) Lovrovich, Andrew (Brooke) Lovrovich, Ricky Fujita, Blayne Fujita, and Bryce Fujita, great-granddaughter Violet Lovrovich (Andrew and Brooke), and many nieces and nephews.

Violet’s family specially thanks the Weatherly Inn that cared for her lovingly and filled her final years with joy. Memorial services will be held on July 19, 2024, 10:00am at 1002 Yakima Avenue, Tacoma, WA. Interment will be held at 12:30pm at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th St., Kent, WA. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home.