Toshie (Toots) Sakai was born on April 5, 1926 in Castroville, California, passed away at her home on January 16, 2007, at the age 80. Toots grew up in the farming communities of Castroville, Hollister, and San Juan Bautista. prior to the declaration of the Second World War.
During the war, she was relocated with her family into Poston, Arizona, Camp 1, Block 17.
After the war, Toots returned with her family to the farming communities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. On May 24, 1947, she married Mineo Min Sakai of San Juan Valley and the couple eventually moved to Gilroy to farm. After working on the farm with her husband and raising three children, Toots enrolled at the Santa Clara County Hospital School of X-ray on February 1, 1964. After graduating and becoming a certified X-ray technician, Toots began her new career at Gilroy’s Wheeler Hospital and the San Jose Medical Center.
After her retirement in the late 1990’s, Toots started traveling. She toured the US, Europe, parts of Asia, New Zealand, and Australia.
She is survived by her children; Jeffery and his wife Kathleen Sakai of Chula Vista, Duane Sakai of San Jose and Donna and her husband, Martin Newton of Australia, granddaughters; Sandra and Karen Sakai of Chula Vista, brothers; Satoru Nishita of Richmond, and Hiroshi Nishita of Gardena, and sisters, Sadae Suezaki of Lafayette , Kikue Hibino of Salinas, and many nieces and nephews. Toots was preceded in death by her husband, Mineo Min Sakai.
Funeral Services on Sunday, Jan. 28, 4:30 P.M. in Gilroy, Habing Family Funeral Home.
