April 24, 1946 – April 7, 2024
Grace Fujita Sawka passed onto the hands of Lord early Sunday April 7, 2024. She had suffered a stroke and was making a good recovery until the effects of the newly discovered stage four pancreatic cancer attacked all parts of her body. During her six weeks in the hospital, she was filled with joy and happiness from many visitors. She was grateful for the prayers, well wishes, flowers, and cards that filled her hospital room.
Her husband and sons and daughter-in law were with her as she passed away. Throughout her life, family and friends would say her smile lit up the room and that continued throughout her stay in the hospital.
Grace and Gary took pride in being together for each holiday during their 55 years of marriage.
Grace thoroughly enjoyed the pleasure of her fourteen nieces and nephews and eight grand nephews and nieces.
Grace was a third generation Californian. Grace was born on April 24, 1946, as the ninth of ten siblings – five boys and five girls.
Grace graduated from Montebello Senior High in 1964. It was there she first met her future husband, Gary Sawka, which we later would say – “We met in high school, dated in college, and married in graduate school.”
Gary says: “When I first saw Grace, it seemed that she knew everyone in school. There was a friendly smile, a hello, or a glad to see you. There was a certain grace and sweetness in her, and I knew then that I wanted to be with her. Sixty years later I still think about her that way.” Grace was active and popular in high school where she was Girls Vice President, Girls Athletic Association President, and the leader of the Pep Squad. She continued her education at Cal State Long Beach where she received a BA in Fine Arts and at Cal State Los Angles where she received her MA in Art Education.
Gary and Grace were married on August 24, 1969, at the Montebello Plymouth Congressional Church, 51 years after her mother, Fusae Fujita, first joined the church.
Grace worked in a variety of sales support functions until the birth of their first son, Gary Michael Sawka, Jr. on June 21, 1979. She then thrust herself into a whirlwind of children’s activities and Bullis Elementary School activities. She said the most fun was the numerous after school graduation parties, Little League baseball parties, and soccer parties held at their house. The same thing was repeated after the birth of their second son, Gregory Mitchell Sawka on April 21, 1987.
Over the 42 years in Los Altos Hills, Gary and Grace renovated and expanded their home. The neighbors saw Grace tending her flowers in her garden. She loved flowers, the trees, and the joy it brought her to see them blooming.
Grace is survived by her brothers, Ben Fujita (and wife Carol), Tom Fujita (and wife Sachi), Ed Fujita (and wife June), and her sisters Nancy Fujita Nitta (and husband Ron), and Mary Fujita Horio (and husband Leighton). Grace was predeceased by her father Satoru Fujita, mother, Fusae Kanamaru Fujita, brothers Richard Fujita and Jack Fujita and her sisters, Joyce Fujita Ariue and Molly Fujita.
Spangler Mortuary in Los Altos oversees the visitation, memorial services, and burial services. A detailed obituary can be found on their website and was published on Wednesday in the Los Altos Town Crier.