Carolyn Kay Nakamoto

Carolyn Kay Nakamoto, beloved wife, mother, sister, auntie, grandmommy, and friend, passed away on April 25, 2026, in Santa Clara, California, at the age of 82.

Carolyn was a loving, God-fearing, and deeply inclusive woman who lived each day with kindness, gratitude, creativity, and an open heart. She believed in loving without judgment and had a rare gift for making everyone feel welcomed, cared for, and valued.

Born on July 31, 1943, in Landa, North Dakota, to Alfred and Jerda Christianson, Carolyn moved to California as a child and built a beautiful life rooted in faith, family, hard work, and service. She attended Buchser High School, Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, and later earned a degree in cosmetology.

A forward-thinking and creative entrepreneur, Carolyn owned and operated Carolyn’s Coiffures Beauty Salon in Santa Clara before founding Carolyn’s Kids, a home daycare in Sunnyvale. For more than 30 years, she lovingly nurtured children and supported their families, becoming a trusted presence, second mother, and source of comfort to many. She also wrote and published How to Open and Start Your Own Home Daycare and created, produced, and marketed the Coffee Bib, a protective bib designed to spare clothing from coffee spills during the morning commute.

Carolyn’s work with children was one of the great legacies of her life. She did not simply care for children; she cared for the whole family. She offered meals, encouragement, wisdom, support, and, when needed, a glass of wine and a listening ear. Her home was filled with warmth, laughter, creativity, and love.

Those who knew Carolyn will remember her as generous, wise, kind, accepting, fun, and easy to laugh. She was a mother to all, someone who filled in the gaps wherever there was a need. Her faith shined through the way she lived, through the children she nurtured, the families she supported, and the joy she brought into everyday moments.

Carolyn was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Jerda Christianson, and her brothers, Glen and Lowell Christianson.

She is survived by her husband, Bobby Nakamoto; her sister, Lenore “Christy” Lovejoy; her children, Robbie Nakamoto and his wife Leila, Alicia Nakamoto and her husband Shon Sylvia, Alaina Johnson and her husband Marshall Johnson, and Christy Lynn Nakamoto; her grandchildren, Todd and Sarah Williamson, Rachel Walker, Giovanna Libby and her husband Trace Libby, Jzenai, Garrison, Nathan, Max and Jack Johnson, Grace and Violet Sylvia, and Ben Nakamoto; and her great-grandchildren, Emma and Caden Libby. She is also remembered with love by many nieces, nephews, extended family members, friends, and the many children and families whose lives she touched through Carolyn’s Kids.

A memorial service celebrating Carolyn’s life will be held on Friday, June 19, at 12:00 p.m. at Spangler Mortuary, 174 N. Sunnyvale Avenue, Sunnyvale, California. Reverend Debbie Uharriet will officiate. A celebration will follow at the Nakamoto family home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made to the Laurelwood Elementary School Paw Patch, a hands-on school garden program that inspires curiosity, exploration, and real-world science learning through gardening and nature. Laurelwood held a special place in Carolyn’s heart, as the Nakamoto children attended the school, as did many of the children she lovingly cared for through Carolyn’s Kids.

Donations may be made here: Laurelwood Elementary School Paw Patch Donation Link

Carolyn’s legacy lives on in the generations of children she nurtured, the families she supported, and the countless people blessed by her love. She will be remembered for her faith, creativity, laughter, open heart, and the beautiful way she made everyone feel at home.

P.S. If you’d like to participate and will not be able to make it in person, you are invited to the Private Broadcast™ of Carolyn Nakamoto on June 19th 2026 at 12:00 PM PDT.

Write down or remember the PIN. The PIN is: 011-694

The service will be broadcasted and recorded at:  https://www.viewlogies.net/spangler/rMC5f04WG?pin=011694