Kimiko Gaumer

January 21, 1930 – February 17, 2016

Born Kimiko Iye in Osaka, Japan, but lived and was raised in Shuri, Okinawa. At the start of World War II, she and her mother fled to Formosa. Upon her return at the end of the war, Kimiko began to work as a nurse’s assistant at a U.S. Army Hospital where she met and fell in love with her husband Don in 1951. They were married for 53 years prior to his death.

As the result of Don’s military career, the family moved numerous times until his retirement in Moses Lake, Wash. There they both owned and operated a restaurant. They eventually settled in Medical Lake and then Spokane, Wash. Kimiko began working for Eastern State Hospital in Medical Lake and eventually retired in 1995. She moved to Milwaukie, Ore. three years ago to be closer to caregivers.

Kimiko suffered through many hard life issues and, most recently, was a breast cancer survivor. Through it all, she maintained her infectious smile and loved to make people laugh mostly by telling her life stories. She was widely known for her love to entertain and her love to cook. However, the biggest love of her life was her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Kimiko leaves behind her children Thomas (Lynne) of Oregon City, Oregon, David (Sue) of Acworth, Georgia, Donna McKinnon of Spokane, Washington; eight grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held on Sunday, March 13, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Chapel, 508 N. Government Way in Spokane. Inurnment on March 14, 2016 at 9 a.m. at Greenwood Memorial Terrace.