Public services will be announced in the future for Helen. Please continue to check this website for updates.
Helen Natsuko Kawaguchi, age 97, passed away peacefully April 11, 2020 at her home in Arroyo Grande, CA. Helen was born in the Oak Park area of Arroyo Grande to Kikutaro and Haru Otani. She lived in that area until age 6 when Helen and some of her family moved to Japan. Upon returning to the United States at age 13, she continued her studies in local schools and graduated from Arroyo Grande Union High School in 1942.
During World War II when the Japanese families were forced into the internment camps, Helen met and married Shigeru Kawaguchi. After the internment camp experience, and after living for a while in Chicago and the San Joaquin Valley, Shig and Helen were able to buy a small ranch back in the Arroyo Grande Area. It was here that they began their very successful family farm operation and raised their three children, Patrick, Paul, and Carolyn. Helen was a key part of the daily duties of the family farm and took pride in working long hard hours in the vegetable fields so that the success of the farm could be shared with her family.
Helen is survived by her son, Patrick (Carolyn) Kawaguchi of San Jose, CA, daughter-in-law Nancy Kawaguchi of Arroyo Grande, CA, daughter Carolyn (Ronny) Murphy of Arroyo Grande, CA and 5 grandchildren. Helen was preceded in death by her husband Shig and son Paul.
The family of Helen Kawaguchi would like to thank and praise the staff at Hospice for the exceptional support and care they gave Mom and her family.
Due to the current Covid-19 health situation and therefore strict limits placed on funerals, a private service was held for Helen. A celebration of Helen’s life will be held in the near future.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Helen Natsuko Kawaguchi, please visit our floral store.