Washington - Matsue (Nishimori) Watanabe, 94, from Bainbridge Island, WA, passed away peacefully on January 22, 2022, of natural causes. She was born on July 12, 1927, in Port Blakely, WA, to parents Tsue and Kirohachi Nishimori.

Matsue approached everything in life with tenacity and joy that energized those around her. Described by those who knew her as inspirational and a truly incredible force of nature, Matsue had an unwavering devotion to family and community. She made those around her feel loved and cherished through her warm interactions and her generous handmade creations, from beautiful Halloween costumes to beautiful quilts for her family to her incomparable cooking and baked goods that she shared with her community friends.

Like many Japanese and Japanese Americans who called the West Coast home, Matsue was incarcerated at Manzanar War Relocation Center in the Mohave Desert, CA during World War II, from 1942-1944. From Manzanar, she moved to Illinois and graduated from Evanston High School in 1945. Her family returned to Bainbridge Island in 1949 where she attended business school in Seattle.

She devoted much of her later life to her community including educating younger generations about the incarceration experience through the Nisei Veterans Committee (NVC), NVC Foundation, Densho, and K-12 schools so this historic atrocity would never be repeated. She volunteered with Rokka Ski Club and Ski School taking care of the membership list and editing the newsletter. Passing on her values of giving back to the community was done through her tremendously long list of actions and behaviors that benefitted so many.

Matsue married her life partner Samuel Watanabe on November 9, 1952. During their 63 years of marriage, they lived in Kent and Tukwila, WA. She worked for the Highline School District for 25+ years until her retirement in 1990. Matsue was fearless and dove into new challenges, remaining active in various activities throughout her life, including swimming one mile every day at 5:30 AM for 41 years, learning to ski at the age of 43, taking up golf after retirement, and often being the oldest participant in local sprint triathlons and half marathons.

Matsue was preceded in death by her parents Tsue and Kirohachi; brother Tairoku; sisters Masako Muromoto, Kiyoko Kumagai and Sueako Yonemitsu; husband Samuel Watanabe; and daughter Naomi Kakiuchi. Matsue is survived by son Dale Watanabe (Carol Anne Yamamoto); daughter Mari Watanabe; sister Shimako Kitano; son-in-law Wayton Lim; and granddaughters Tana, Ren and Mika.

A Celebration of Life will be held on February 23rd at 1:00 PM at the NVC Memorial Hall, 1212 S. King Street, Seattle, WA 98144. COVID protocols will be in place with all attendees required to wear face masks. Please register to attend in-person or receive the online link: https://bit.ly/346uCv2

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NVC (www.nvcfoundation.org) or the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial (www.bijaema.org.)