Yoneko (Tanaka) Kondo

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Yoneko Kondo on July 14, 2025, in Salmon Arm, BC at the age of 99. Yon was a devoted wife, a beloved sister, Nechan, aunt, mother-figure and friend. Born June 4, 1926, in Mio-mura, Wakayama, Japan, she was the eldest daughter of Yonekichi (1895-1972) and Rin Tanaka (1897-1929) and step-daughter of Koharu Tanaka (1904-1967).

By 1931, Yon’s family had settled on the West Coast of British Columbia. In 1942, they were forced to leave their home on the Skeena River - Inverness, Port Essington. The Tanaka family were relocated to Grand Forks, BC. After the Second World War, the Tanaka family returned to the West Coast, but Yon remained in Grand Forks where she married Fujikazu “Ben” Kondo on January 31, 1948. It was there that she and Fuji cared for his siblings and Yon became the mother-figure and matriarch of the Kondo family. The Kondo home in Grand Forks became the destination of many family holidays and the place for learning old family traditions such as sewing, gardening, the making of tsukemono, fukujinzuke, and new traditions such as stocking the pantry with Okanagan produce.

Yoneko is predeceased by her husband Fujikazu (1927-2022), her brothers Yoshio (Sumie) Tanaka, Yoneharu (Emiko) Tanaka, Kichizo (Norma) Tanaka, Michiho (Ikuye) Tanaka, sister-in-law Frances Tanaka and brothers-in-law Yoshito Kondo, Hiroshi Kondo, Toshio Kondo, Tamotsu (Chieko) Kondo, and Roy Dolsen. Yon is lovingly remembered by her brother Motomu Tanaka and sisters Chieko (Kazuichi) Tasaka and Sakae (Takahiko) Miyake, and sisters-in-law Noriko (Wilfred) Labrecque, Yasuko Dolsen, Yoko Nishi (Geoff Lawrence) and Kaoru Nora Kondo. Auntie Yon will be missed and cherished by her many nieces and nephews, all who were very special to her.

As per her wishes, cremation was held at Bowers Funeral home July 18, 2025, in Salmon Arm. A memorial service will be held at the Steveston Buddhist Temple with Reverend Grant Ikuta on September 19, 2025 at 10:00 am with interment to follow at Valley View Cemetery at 12:00 pm. Both services are open to family and friends.

In lieu of flowers or Koden, please donate to a charity of choice in Yoneko’s memory. The family would like to acknowledge and thank the staff at GSS Hillside Village for such excellent care and support while Yon resided there.