Shigeko Julia Ando

Friday, Sep. 12, 2025

July 18, 1929 ~ August 26, 2025

Shigeko Julia Ando completed her mortal journey just after noon on August 26, 2025.  

Born July 18, 1929, she was healthy and lively for the most part for her entire span of 96 years.  She was a gentle and happy soul and despite the unique challenges that life brought her, lived with kindness and care for all around her.  

Her life began in Kemmerer, Wyoming. She was born to Japanese immigrants as the second to the youngest of six children – Tomiko, Koji, Mitsuko, Kazuko, Shigeko (known to many of her friends as “Julia”), and Kaoru (Carol). Her brother Koji passed away in his childhood. After Koji’s passing, the harsh economic conditions of the Great Depression compelled their mother, Ayame, to take all her daughters except Carol to Japan to live with relatives there in hopes that they would have better living standards. Shigeko was 5 years old at the time. They lived over the mountains from Hiroshima and were fortunate to survive the atomic bomb that fell on that city on August 6, 1945. Two years later, at the age of 18, Shigeko moved back to the United States. During her years in Japan she was a successful student and active leader in her school activities. She lived in Salt Lake City with her mother, who ran a magazine shop downtown in a section known as “Japan Town.” She met and married Francis T. Ando and, likely at his urging, attended West High School to enhance her English capacity and be immersed in the U.S. culture.   

Subsequently, employment took Francis and Shigeko to New York City. After Francis retired, he and Shigeko moved back to Utah a year or two before he passed away at the age of 57. Shigeko continued to live in Utah in proximity to her sisters Tomi, Mitsuko and Carol until she moved to California. She remarried in California and after her second husband passed away, she again returned to Utah, where she lived until her death. She was active in the Japanese American community, participating in the Japanese American Citizens League and enjoying a bowling league. She continued to be an active and devoted member of the Catholic Church, volunteering for many years to work in the office and count donations.  

A funeral Mass was celebrated on September 4, 2025 at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Salt Lake City. 

Inurnment followed at Elysian Burial Gardens, Salt Lake City.