Misa Kamikihara passed away peacefully surrounded by family members at home in Palo Alto on October 8 , 2022, at the age of 88 .

Misa was born on Novembe r 10, 1933, in Kagoshima, Japan, and was the second oldest of five children, After gradu a ting from nursing school in 1953 , she worked as an RN for Ikeda Hospital in Saga Prefecture.

She married Dr. Megumi Kamikihara, a surgeon and virologist , who was born in K agoshima, a graduate of the University of Tokyo. Misa immigrated to the US with her children to join her husband in early 1969 after he established his career in the US.

While she was preparing for the state nurse - licensing examination , she interacted with many Japa n ese American flower growers in Watsonville and Sali n as, and began to show tremendous interest in flowers.

After she and her family moved to Palo Alto in late 1969, she began working for nurseries in East Palo Alto. In 1975, she began her landscape-gardening career until her retirement in 1998 . She and her husband returned to Japan in 1999 . She continued to live in Japa n even after her husband passed away in 2003 .

Misa moved back to the US in 2014 where her children reside .

When she was in Japan , she enjoyed taking classes in computing, cooking , foreign languages that were offered by the local government for seniors. Also, she was an ardent fan of the Tokyo and San Francisco Giants. She always looked forward to Tomonikai activities at the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple ever y W ednesday.

She was a member of Japanese Nursing Association, Jodo - Shinshu Otani sect, and Palo Alto Buddhist temple.

S h e is survived by five children, nine grandchildren , and one great grandson . She will be buried alongside her late husband at Saiunji Temple in Kagoshima , Japan .