Ume Okamoto was born on August 1, 2018, in Hanford, California, the fourth of eight children of Rihachi and Tsutayo Mayewaki, Japanese immigrants from Hiroshima Japan. She and her siblings went to elementary and high school in Hanford and upon finishing high school, Ume followed her older brother Ben to the University of California, Berkeley where she graduated with a B.A. in History in 1942. While at Berkeley, she met Susumu Okamoto who grew up in Palo Alto, California and they were married in 1943. After the war, they settled in Menlo Park, California. She passed away on November 27, 2024, when she was 106 years old.

After Susumu passed away, she continued to live in the family house until she was 100. She was always considerate of her neighbors, sharing fruit from her trees. She volunteered at the Little House, a community center for seniors in Menlo Park. For many years she would walk three miles round-trip to the Little House and then help prepare and serve food for the seniors. Eventually she started to take the bus, and she continued to help out until she was in her mid-90s.

She will be remembered as a kind and selfless mother, grandmother, and great grandmother to her family. Up to the end, she had an amazing capacity for dates and facts, never forgetting birthdays, anniversaries, and names of people that most of the family had forgotten. When she reached 100, she moved into an assisted living facility in Denver, close to her daughter. She was the oldest resident in the facility and with her good memory she would consistently win the trivia contests.

The family used to be concerned that whenever there was a gathering at home she would never sit down and relax but was always moving and making sure that everyone was taken care of. We finally accepted that she found satisfaction in the event by making sure that others were enjoying themselves. Looking back, we realize that her concern for others was a defining part of her character.

Ume is survived by one brother ("Hutch"), two sons (Duane & Ron) and a daughter (Karen), six grandchildren, five great grandchildren, six nephews, and one niece. We will miss her greatly and are so grateful for the life she prepared us for by her example and the sacrifices she made on our behalf.

Private services will be held in Palo Alto, California.