Kathleen Kazuko Ashida , 100 , passed away Saturday, July 10th, 2021 at the Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs Colorado due to complications of Covid. She was born December 25th, 1920 in Stockton, California the eldest child of Tokuzo Takahashi and Tomi Okamoto.

In 1926 the family relocated to La Jara, Colorado. Kathleen graduated with the La Jara class of 1939 as a co-valedictorian. Following high school, she attended the Chillicothe Business College in Missouri. After her graduation from Business College, she moved to Denver and took a job working for Mary Seely, the first woman realtor.

While in Denver, she was active in various organizations and held various positions in the Denver Buddhist Church’s Young Buddhist Association and the Japanese American Citizens League. Kathleen also worked for the Rocky Mountain Jiho, a Japanese American newspaper and she graduated from the Denver Sewing School.

Kathleen attended the wedding of a friend, Amy Sasaki and Hideo Ashida and it was there that she met Noboru “Nobe” Ashida, who was Hideo’s brother and the Best Man. Nobe and Kathleen were married on February 26, 1947 and were together for 60 years. They had two children together, Melvyn Norio and Lorraine Chieko. Nobe passed away in 2007.

She worked for the La Jara Potato Growers Co-op as a bookkeeper and office manager for just one month short of 33 years. She took a lot of pride in a compliment that she received while working. She was told not to change the way she kept the books, at each audit, it was perfect.

Kathleen was an excellent seamstress and sewed most of the clothes for herself and her family. She enjoyed crafts and crocheting as well as watching her soaps, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, Golf and tennis. She found a passion for solitaire later in life and always had a green thumb and a love of indoor plants. Before her passing, Kathleen had been a resident of the Rio Grande Inn in La Jara.

She is survived by her daughter Lorraine Takahashi Ashida and numerous extended family members.

Kathleen is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Nobe, her son Melvyn Ashida, her siblings, Ileen Takahashi, Ruth (Albert) Watada, Roy Takahashi, Agnes Takahashi, her nephew Larry Watada as well as 2 brothers-in-law and spouses, 3 brothers-in-law, 1 sister-in-law and spouse, 1 sister-in-law and a number of other cherished family members.

Cremation was selected and a service will be held at a later time. To express condolences to the family, please visit www.rogersfunerals.com

Rogers Family Mortuary in Alamosa is in care of the arrangements.