Katsuko M. (Komeiji) Higaki

Katsuko M. Higaki (nee Komeiji), age 98, formerly of Wickliffe, passed away peacefully July 23, 2022. She was born on February 6, 1924 to the late Risuke and Motome Komeiji.

Katsuko, known as Marge to her friends, was born in Honolulu, HI and was the third oldest of the eight children. She was educated in Honolulu and in Tokyo, Japan. She returned from Japan just before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that caused the United States to enter World War II. Her brother and many of her friends and teachers served in the United States Armed Services during the war.

Following the war, she studied nursing and graduated from Queen’s Hospital in Honolulu. She took post-graduate classes at the University of St. Louis and the Francis P. Bolton School of Nursing at Western Reserve University in Cleveland. She was part of the original staff that began Lake County West Hospital in Willoughby and served as night-shift head nurse for 25 years. She also assisted in the design of the Breckenridge Nursing Home in Willoughby.

Marge enjoyed playing a Japanese instrument called the koto, playing cards with friends, bowling, and social times with friends at the Cleveland Area Retired Persons organization. She was a great fan of all Cleveland sports and awesome at playing the Nintendo electronic game of Dr. Mario.

Marge was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Shigeo Higaki and six brothers and sisters. She is survived by her three children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren: son, Vernon (Gwen) and children with his former spouse, Lynn:  Kyle (Whitney) and Derek (Katie) Higaki; son, Wayne (Sharon) and children Jason (Melanie) and Scott (Cassey) Higaki; daughter, Cathy (Barry) Lui and children Lisa, Jeffrey (Nicole), and Kevin Lui; great-grandchildren Carter, Jack, Madeline, Ben, and Taylor Higaki. She also is survived by her sister, Mary Yaeko Loo; sisters-in-law, Jane Komeiji, Chizu Segawa, Asako Nakamura and Katsuko Higaki; and many dear nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express their thanks for the wonderful help and care given by Maplewood at Twinsburg and Serenity Hospice (Stow).

To honor Marge’s dedicated nursing career and in lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made in her name to Lake Health Foundation 7590 Auburn Road, Concord Township, OH 44077 or by visiting https://lakehealth.org/give-to-lake-health/.

Family and friends whose lives were touched by Marge are invited to gather at The Orlando-Donsante-Previte Funeral Home 29550 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 6, 2022, where A Celebration of Life Ceremony for Marge will be held from 3:00 to 4:00 p.m. Please feel free to dress in Hawaiian print clothing to celebrate Marge’s love of Hawaii.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Katsuko M. (Komeiji) Higaki, please visit our floral store.