cremation services offered in Glendale, AZ

Life Lived to the Fullest

Publishing obituaries is one of the cremation services offered in Glendale, AZ. If you haven’t thought about writing your own obituary, you should think about it now. After all, this is your story. It’s the last one, in all probability, that will be written about you and your life. What would you want it to say?

When Olympia Yamayoshi died on June 3, 2019, her family wanted her last story to show that Olympia had a life that was lived to the fullest. It’s a good example that may give you some ideas about how to write your last story.

Olympia’s obituary reads, in part:

“Olympia ‘Lee’ Barbieri Falk Yamayoshi passed away suddenly on June 3, 2019 in San Francisco, Calif. following a brief illness. Born in Syracuse on November 15, 1929, she was the eldest of six children and grew up in Fairmount. Her parents grew fresh vegetables in their garden and raised farm animals for milk and food. Later in life, Olympia recognized the quality of the fresh food her parents provided. But as a child, she longed to “assimilate” by eating “American” food. As a child, she viewed the farm animals as pets and as a result, throughout her life, found it difficult to eat chicken.

Olympia led a rich and vibrant life and explored the world with a great sense of curiosity and adventure.

She also loved ballet and studied in New York City as well as in Syracuse with Francy Falk, daughter of Syracuse University drama Professor Sawyer Falk and Kathleen Currah Falk. Through the family, she met Francy’s brother, classics professor Dr. Kenneth S. Falk. He had also spent time in and had a great passion for Italy.

They married in 1966 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he was a professor at Louisiana State University. In 1969, their first and only child, Aurelia Renata Kathleen Falk, was born.

In the late 1970s, Olympia began a career at the Louisiana Legislature where she became fascinated both by Louisiana politics and the political process in general. She never got used to the bugs or the humidity in Louisiana but grew to develop a deep fondness for the people and the rich cultural heritage of state, including its food, music, and chivalrous Southern hospitality.

In 1996, four years after the passing of Dr. Falk, she reconnected with a longtime family friend in San Francisco, Edward (“Eddie”) Yamayoshi. They married in 1997 and she moved to San Francisco. She enjoyed telling friends in Baton Rouge that, at the age of 67, she was “retiring, relocating, and remarrying.”

cremation services offered in Glendale, AZShe and Eddie spent 18 years traveling the world and enjoying the restaurants, culture, and natural beauty of San Francisco and California. Some of the places they traveled to included Italy, Germany, France, Spain, England, Japan, Canada, and many times to Hawaii.

She especially enjoyed cooking and watching cooking shows including Lidia’s Kitchen, Jacques Pepin, Martha Stewart, and Giada De Laurentiis. She loved saying Lidia’s Italian catchphrase just before a meal “Tutti a tavola a mangiare!” (“Everyone to the table to eat!”) She loved to read, to write poetry, and do crossword puzzles.

At age 89, she was learning how to play chess and was exploring taking Japanese taiko drum lessons. In her early 80s, she became adept at using the iPhone and grew to love the ease and efficiency of texting. She lived independently and had an excellent quality of life until two days before her death.”

If you want to know more about cremation services in Glendale, AZ, our compassionate and experienced staff at Simply Cremations & Funeral Arrangements can help.

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