Grace Fujita Sawka passed onto the hands of Lord early Sunday April 7, 2024. She had suffered a stroke and was making a good recovery until the effects of the newly discovered stage four pancreatic cancer attacked all parts of her body. During her six weeks in the hospital, she was filled with joy and happiness from many visitors including her husband, Gary, her two sons, Michael and Greg, her daughter-in-law, Michelle, and sisters and brothers-in law, Mary and Leighton Horio, Nancy and Ron Nitta, and cousins Tomiko, Todd, and Nina. She was grateful for the prayers, well wishes, flowers, and cards that filled her hospital room.

Her husband and sons and daughter-in law were with her as she passed away. The song "Amazing Grace" played in her ear for her last moments on earth. Throughout her life, family and friends would say her smile lit up the room and that continued throughout her stay in the hospital.

Grace and Gary took pride in being together for each holiday during their 55 years of marriage. Every holiday, birthday, and anniversary were celebrated with cards, flowers, a dinner and cake. This year's St. Valentine's Day was the last celebration as a family before Grace's stroke ten days later.

Grace thoroughly enjoyed the pleasure of her fourteen nieces and nephews and eight grand nephews and nieces. Every one of those birthdays, Christmas, and graduations was celebrated with birthday cards and gifts from their Auntie. The same celebrations were held for her siblings and their spouses. Grace was especially known for baking chocolate chip cookies at moment's notice for family and visitors alike.

She was especially fond of going to Current SV Church, Mountain View, with her husband and son, Greg, surrounded by young techies and young children.

Grace was a third generation Californian. Her grandparents came to California in the early 1900s. The family lived in Boise City, Oklahoma for twelve years during and after World War II. Grace was born on April 24, 1946, as the ninth of ten siblings – five boys and five girls. The family moved back to Los Angeles in 1954 after the death of her father. The five brothers established a successful service station which supported all the family.

Grace graduated from Montebello Senior High in 1964. It was there she first met her future husband, Gary Sawka, which we later would say – We met in high school, dated in college, and married in graduate school.

Gary says: "When I first saw Grace, it seemed that she knew everyone in school. There was a friendly smile, a hello, or a glad to see you. There was a certain grace and sweetness in her, and I knew then that I wanted to be with her. Sixty years later I still think about her that way." Grace was active and popular in high school where she was Girls Vice President, Girls Athletic Association President, and the leader of the Pep Squad. She continued her education at Cal State Long Beach where she received a BA in Fine Arts and at Cal State Los Angles where she received her MA in Art Education.

Gary and Grace were married on August 24, 1969, at the Montebello Plymouth Congressional Church, 51 years after her mother, Fusae Fujita, first joined the church. Grace and Gary motored across the country from Los Angles to Boston where she worked at the Harvard Health
Center in Harvard Square while Gary finished MBA at the Harvard Business School.

The couple lived in St. Louis for four years where she taught high school art while her husband worked in corporate venture capital. They returned to California in 1974, settling in Los Altos for eight years until they moved to their current residence in Los Altos Hills in 1982. Grace worked in a variety of sales support functions until the birth of their first son, Gary Michael Sawka, Jr. on June 21, 1979. She then thrust herself into a whirlwind of children's activities and Bullis Elementary School activities. She said the most fun was the numerous after school graduation parties, Little League baseball parties, and soccer parties held at their house. The same thing was repeated after the birth of their second son, Gregory Mitchell Sawka on April 21, 1987.

Over the 42 years in Los Altos Hills, Gary and Grace renovated and expanded their home. The neighbors saw Grace tending her flowers in her garden. She loved flowers, the trees, and the joy it brought her to see them blooming.

The HBS Reunion Books had stories of my CFO and Board positions while Grace wrote a spouse's narrative on real life on the home front:

Twenty years – "I am pleasantly surprised to find the second ten years of married life to be much more entertaining, rewarding, and enjoyable. I like being my own boss and working for the good of my own family."

Thirty years – "How fast time has passed since those of our youth. I have spent the better part of the last twenty years at home raising our two boys, throwing all my energy into the task. Gary says I am the sparkplug of our family. We both feel the most important parts of our lives remain
with our family."

Forty years – "Our two sons are finally grown up. I am looking forward to finally returning to my fine arts background, which I left behind for too many years. Gary is near retirement, and we can now make some decisions for happiness instead of career."

Fifty years – "Our first son, Michael and his finance Michelle got married on April 15, 2018, at the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The reception was held at the Shangri-La Hotel. It was a fun week in Paris with lots of memories."

Gary and Grace celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary at the Carmel Presbyterian Church and later that year with a week trip to Tokyo. Her sisters visited that summer for a 150-year wedding anniversary celebration: Nancy – 51, Grace - 50, and Mary – 49.

Last October the six siblings and their spouses celebrated their brother, Ben Fujita's 88th birthday, all of whom had celebrated fifty years of marriage.

Grace is survived by her brothers, Ben Fujita (and wife Carol), Tom Fujita (and wife Sachi), Ed Fujita (and wife June), and her sisters Nancy Fujita Nitta (and husband Ron), and Mary Fujita Horio (and husband Leighton). Grace was predeceased by her father Satoru Fujita, mother, Fusae Kanamaru Fujita, brothers Richard Fujita and Jack Fujita and her sisters, Joyce Fujita Ariue and Molly Fujita.

Spangler Mortuary in Los Altos oversees the visitation, memorial services, and burial services. Those interested in attending these events, please call or email Gary or Grace. Grace's phone and email are still active.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Curr ent SV Church in Mountain View or the American Cancer So ciety in Los Altos.