Hollister resident
Hollister resident Irene Shimonishi died Monday, Feb. 17, 2003 after a brief illness. She was 85.
Mrs. Shimonishi was born in Fresno and had lived in Hollister for 45 years. She was a seamstress for the Wardrobe Clothing store and Dick Bruhn’s for more than 26 years as well as a homemaker and an apricot orchardist with her late husband. She sewed as a hobby and taught sewing classes to 4-H clubs.
She was a member of the Watsonville Buddhist Temple and the San Juan Japanese-American Citizens League. She was a fan of the San Francisco Giants and 49ers and enjoyed attending school and recreation league games in which her relatives played. Before her husband’s death, the couple enjoyed going to Reno.
She is survived by her sister, Sue Sasaki (Yasmo) of Sacramento; her sisters-in-law, Lillian Shimonishi of Hollister and Aki Sahara of Berkeley; her nephew, Jack Shimonishi of Hollister; her nieces, JoAnn Kiesewetter of Hollister and Jenny McKinley of Paso Robles; and many other nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Shimonishi in 1991, and her brother, Mako Sahara.
Arrangements for private cremation have been made through Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Crematory.
Friends are invited to a memorial services Saturday at 1 p.m. at Grunnagle-Ament-Nelson Funeral Home. Interment will follow at the IOOF Cemetery.
