Tomiyama, Akie's Obituary
Akie (Santohigashi) Tomiyama was born in Wakayama, Japan, on February 12, 1949 to Taiji and Sachiko (Ikami) Santohigashi. She was welcomed by her brothers, Koichi (age 6) and Shunichi (age 5). The Santohigashi family lived behind the family run stationary store and across the street from the school she and her brothers attended.
Prior to Akie’s birth, the Santohigashi family lived in California and moved to Japan after World War II, during which they were interned at the Manzanar War Relocation Center. In 1957, the Santohigashi family moved back to California when Akie was 8 years old. In San Diego, Akie’s family maintained a close relationship with Santohigashi and Ikami aunts, uncles and cousins. Akie met Steven Tomiyama while in high school and they married on October 25, 1969 and quickly grew their family when son Garrick was born in 1970 and daughter Lorin was born in 1972.
Akie and Steven created an active and traveling life for their family, which included taking the family on trips to many National Parks (such as Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Sequoia, Zion, and Bryce) and to Vancouver for Expo ’86 and to Disney World in Orlando. Akie’s love of travel expanded further in her retirement years, traveling throughout the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Japan, China and Italy. Akie also enjoyed cruising, including Elvis cruises to Mexico and Hawaii and a 50th Wedding Anniversary Cruise to Japan and China in October 2019.
Akie attended Ocean View Elementary and Montgomery Junior High schools and graduated from Kearny High School in 1968. She attended the University of California at Davis from 1968 to 1969. She paused her education to raise a family, she began taking night classes at San Diego State in the 1980’s while working full-time and managing the family, graduating with a Bachelors in Business Administration in 1988 and going on to earn her MBA. Akie enjoyed a busy career first as a real estate agent in the late 1970’s and then as an Accountant in a variety of industries, retiring as the Controller from the Grande Colonial Hotel in La Jolla in early 2017
An amazingly active person, Akie devoted much of her free time to the Buddhist Temple of San Diego as both a Buddhist Women’s Association (BWA) and Temple Board Members, as well as an avid student of the Dharma. She also enjoyed gardening, cooking, fitness (pilates, yoga, zumba), reading with her Book Club, and monthly game nights with her Bunko Group of over 40 years. Akie easily connected with new friends she met through all of her activities.
Perhaps Akie’s most enduring legacy is her devotion to family and building and maintaining family traditions. Akie and Steven organized family trips with grandkids to Hawaii, Park City and Japan in addition to fun days at the Zoo, Wild Animal Park and Dave & Busters, but the best times were spent at Grandma’s house for taco night, watching movies, learning to cook, and exploring her “treasures”.
Akie passed away peacefully on December 21, 2024 at the age of 75. She is survived by son Garrick, daughter Lorin, son-in-law Brian and grandchildren Hailey, Jackson, Thomas, Chad and Jenna, in addition to brothers Koichi and Shunichi, and nieces and nephews Jeffrey, Cindy, and Katie. At the end of her life, Akie was surrounded by her family, and found comfort in the Nembutsu, her Buddhist faith.
Funeral services for Akie Tomiyama will be held at the Buddhist Temple of San Diego located at 2929 Market Street on February 15, 2025 at 11:00 a.m.
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