Sumako Nakagawa | Obituary

Sumako Sue Nakagawa

December 26, 1933- August 4, 2025

Sumako Sue Nakagawa, a longtime Mercer Island resident, passed away peacefully August 4, 2025 after a short illness.

Suma was born December 26, 1933 to Goichi and Yoshi Ishida on a farm in Hunts Point (Bellevue, WA). She was the youngest of six children. Growing up as the baby of the family, Suma, a self-admitted tom boy, was spoiled. With older siblings, she was able to play while the others did chores.

At the onset of World War II, her father was considered a community leader so the family was sent to Tule Lake, CA for the duration of the war. Although not a pleasant experience, the forced imprisonment gave her the opportunity to make life-long friends.

At the war’s conclusion, the family having lost the farm in Hunts Point, relocated to subsided housing in the Highline area of Burien, WA. Suma graduated from Highline High School and while there was a cheerleader (!) She soon began to work for the Immigration Service in Seattle, and while working there met her future husband, Yosh, at a picnic. Yosh’s tenacious and determined courting wore Suma down and they married in 1957. Their family began to grow and soon Lisa, Mark, and Linda filled the house. While raising her family first in Seattle, then on Mercer Island, she led an active lifestyle. Sue loved to golf, bowl, ski, play tennis, go mushroom picking and razor clamming. She was a huge Seattle sports fan and attended thousands of Sonics, Mariners, and Seahawks games. Later in life she enjoyed playing cards with her friends and family and was a voracious reader and puzzle solver.

While most would describe Sue as quiet, private, and reserved, she had a great sense of humor. She was quick with comments and quips that at first made you wonder if you had heard her correctly but then had you laughing.

Sue was preceded in death by her husband Yosh, brother Eddie Ishida, sisters Toshiko Ishida, Nobu Ishida, Shizu Matsuoka and sister-in-law, Mary Matsumoto. She is survived by her sister Chiyoko Doi, daughter Dr. Lisa (Dr. Alan) Kiyohara, son Mark (Joni), daughter Linda, grandsons Brett Nakagawa, Tyler Nakagawa and Nicolas Kiyohara, brother-in-law Charles Matsumoto, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Sue requested that no public service be held, only a small family gathering to remember her life. If you would like to make a contribution in her memory, please consider Japanese Baptist Church, Nisei Veterans Committee or the charity of your choice.