Mary Kawakami | |
Kawakami at the age of 110 | |
Birth: | 12 December 1912 Fort Lupton, Colorado, USA |
Death: | 31 May 2023 American Fork, Utah, USA |
Age: | 110 years, 170 days |
Country: | USA |
Validated |
Mary Masako Kawakami (née Waki; 12 December 1912 – 31 May 2023) was an American supercentenarian who was the oldest known living person in the U.S. state of Utah at the time of her death. Her age was validated by the Gerontology Research Group (GRG) in 2023.
Biography[]
Mary Kawakami was born in Fort Lupton, Colorado, USA, on 12 December 1912 to Japanese immigrant parents, Shizuko and Kenshiro Waki, as the oldest of four children. Her mother, Shizuko, died when she was 11 years old, and her father remarried to Kazuno Kawahara. On 29 November 1935, she married Shigeyoshi "Charles" Kawakami (1903–2004), who was born in Japan. They were married for 68 years before Charles' death in 2004 at the age of 100.
Kawakami worked as a cosmetologist, and owned the Mary Kawakami College of Beauty, which led to her gaining worldwide recognition.
In December 2022, Kawakami celebrated her 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.
Kawakami died on 31 May 2023 in American Fork, Utah, USA, at the age of 110 years, 170 days.
Gallery[]
References[]
- After decades of discrimination, Japanese-American still standing Lawrence Journal-World, 20 October 2002
- Charles Shigeyoshi Kawakami Findagrave
- Japanese Americans in Utah 27 February 2008
- Four Utah centenarians share advice collected over more than 100 years YouTube, 29 January 2023
- Obituary Legacy, 2 June 2023