Fumiko Y. Graves

Fumiko Yoshikawa Graves, age 89, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 28, 2023 in Ferndale, WA. She was born on August 31, 1933 on Ikitsuki Island, Japan to parents Jinsaku and Chie Yoshikawa.

Fumiko came to the Bellingham in 1955 with her then husband Carl Little after he had served in the U.S Navy. She worked as a runway model, a Japanese interpreter for Mayor Westford of Bellingham, and a quality control manager for the seafood industry. She was a friend to all who knew her.

Fumiko loved to dance, play Bingo and pinochle, and watch old Western tv shows, especially Gunsmoke. She was compassionate for people who had hard lives and were far away from their families, inviting them to holiday dinners in her home, and helping them to find work where she was employed.

Fumiko was preceded in death by her parents; former husband, Carl Little; brother-in-law, Joseph Miller; and long-time partner, William Fullner.

She is survived by her children, Vivian Little (Jeffrey Bower) and Michael Little (Montgomery Smith); grandchildren, Mercedes Hilburg and Harrison Bower; great-grandchildren Brooklyn, Harper, and Carl; her sisters Kyoko Miller and Yayeko Yoshikawa; and her niece Diana (Tom) Greive.

Fumiko was laid to rest at Bayview Cemetery in Bellingham, Washington.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 1st at 11:00am at Westford Funeral Home, 1301 Broadway, Bellingham, WA, followed by a reception.