Heidi Hideko Kitayama

Heidi Kitayama loved the life that God gave her for all her 95 years. Often called the First Lady of Union City or the Carnation Queen, she always felt excitement in a world that she felt gave her so much. All this ended on February 12, 2018 after a massive stroke. In late December, Heidi woke up one morning with a big smile and said that she is going home and was excited to see her husband, Tom Kitayama, who passed away in 2007. She is now fulling that dream. Heidi Kitayama was born on July 28, 1922 in Seattle, WA. When she was 7 years old, her father Komakichi Horikawa passed away and she lost her mother, Sugiye Yoshikawa 2 years later. She was raised by her Aunt Hosoe Kodama along with her brother, Edy and sister, Kiyoko. Although her early years were very difficult, it never broke her spirit, Heidi continued to feel secure and hope that good things would come. Her secret? It was her circle of friends, her family and the Church that kept her confident. She always instilled in her children not to live by themselves; you need Friends, Family and God. It was not until she attended Washington State University did she accept Jesus Christ as her Savior. There she led devotions for the unwed mothers at the Salvation Army Hospital and helped with Bible School at the Baptist Church. Heidi was later baptized at the central Baptist Church where the Pastor introduced her to her future husband, Tom Kitayama on April Fools Day. She always felt that their marriage was planned in Heaven. In 1947, Tom and Heidi moved to California along with Gramma Masako Kitayama, three bothers, Ray, Kee and Ted and sister Martha, while Yoshiko remained on Banbridge Island. This was the start of a very successful nursery business, Kitayama Brothers Nursery, where Heidi became to be known as the Carnation Queen. Later in 1959, when Tom Kitayama became the first Mayor of Union City, Heidi became the First Lady of Union City. She felt that her life was blessed and attributes it all to Friends, Family and God. To cherish her memory, are her sons David and Dennis and their spouses and daughters Barbara Uhlig and Monica Cathcart and their spouses and her 14 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren. Also, to cherish her memory, are the 104 Kitayama family members who were blessings to her, especially her brother Edy Horikawa, her sister-in-laws Martha Kawanami, Keiko Kitayama, Kimiko Kitayama and brother-in-law Ted Kitayama