Nicholson-Daniels-Cabral

I was glad to see my brother and his family, even though the reason for his visit was an especially sad one. Hopefully we can all get together again soon under happier circumstances.

Obituary for Michiko Kinosita Daniels

Mom passed away quietly in her sleep early Tuesday morning. My brother wrote a lovely obituary for her, which I am including here:

Michiko Kinosita Daniels, 85, of Goldston died on August 2nd, 2011.
She was born in Tokyo, Japan to the late Jinosuke Kinosita and Ito Tachibana Kinosita on January 7, 1926. Before World War II, her family operated a resort hotel near the hot springs of Atami (outside of Tokyo). The Japanese government took possession of the hotel during World War II and the family moved to Tokyo. Subsequently, her father became a merchant marine.
In 1944, she graduated from Tokyo Girl’s High School as valedictorian and attended Tokyo University studying Business. She later became an office worker for Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. At a time when women did not typically drive cars, she took lessons from a driving school that used wood-burning steam powered cars. Post-World War II Japan rationed many items including gasoline. Thriftiness became a part of her nature.
In 1953, she married Army Sergeant James Edward Daniels in Tokyo. They met while he was on leave from the Korean War. Before leaving Japan, her father reminded her that she would be seen as an “ambassador” by people in the United States. She lived by the credo of kindness, generosity, and hard work.
The young couple departed Japan by steamship, arriving in Seattle, Washington, and then travelled by train to Maryland where James worked at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Life in the Army sent them many places including France, Germany, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. James retired from government service in 1977 and the couple settled in North Carolina.
While living in Goldston, Mrs. Daniels soon became known as an accomplished seamstress. She handcrafted beautiful wedding dresses and matching bridesmaids’ dresses for entire bridal parties. Mrs. Daniels thought of the many hours she toiled as a gift to the numerous young brides and bridesmaids and only asked for a small fee as compensation. Mrs. Daniels also worked at H&R Block as a tax preparer in Sanford and Siler City.
She was preceded in death by her sister, Fumiko Kinosita Kikuchi formerly of Atami, Japan and son, Jon Baron Daniels. She is survived by husband James; two sisters: Emiko Kinosita Fujimagari of Yokohama and Tomoko Kinosita Tsutsumi of Tokyo; daughter Anna Linda Daniels Nicholson of Pittsboro; son Taumi Sill Daniels of Williamsburg, VA; grandchildren: Jon Pollock, Malcolm Nicholson, Hannah Nicholson, Arrianne Daniels, Allanna Daniels, Amarra Michiko Daniels; and six nieces and nephews in Japan.

Her neice, Keiko, added, "The most amazing thing to me is that she married a foreigner and went abroad at a time when those things were almost unheard of for ordinary Japanese citizens. And once you went out of the country, you would not be able to come back for quite some time and may never see each other again. She once said to me that she couldn:t stand the smallness and closedness of Japanese society and wanted to see the rest of the world and she sure did."