Yukie Ogawa Almond
November 8, 1932 - August 11, 2017

Yukie Ogawa Almond, 84, passed away August 11, 2017, at the Kossuth Regional Health Center in Algona, Iowa. She was born in Osaka, Japan on November 8, 1932. She became one of five children born to Shizue and Koichiro Ogawa. The other four are, Kazuo, Fumiko, Minoru and Yoshiaki.

She married an Army man from Michigan in 1953, Melvin G. Umbreit. From this union was born her daughter, Debra and son, Edward. Two other children, Robert and Naomi died in infancy.

They traveled the United States for his Army career which ended in Puerto Rico when he unexpectedly died in 1962. Yukie and her children took Melvin back to Japan where he is buried. They lived there for five years.

While in Japan she met a Navy man from Red Oak, Iowa, Marvin Almond. They settled there in 1967. She worked at Union Carbide (Eveready) making batteries. Yukie enjoyed making fried noodles and rice for friends, family and co-workers. She also enjoyed going to the Japanese Store in Omaha where she could speak Japanese. Matter of fact, she was always wanting to make the trip to Omaha and go to the Japanese Store. She also liked movies with Nicholas Cage and Johnny Depp. She had an eye for a good looking man. She loved to shop and visit with people and helped raise her grandson, Joshua Umbreit until he was 5.

Yukie was a resident of the Good Samaritan Society - Algona, since 2009, where she went to recover after back surgery. Recently she enjoyed the rock and roll band, The Rivieras in Clear Lake.

Yukie will be greatly missed for her quick smile and her outlook on life. Live for today!

She is survived by her daughter, Deb (Wes) Lasher; son, Eddy (Bill Zila) Umbreit; grandson, Josh (Amber) Umbreit; three great-grandchildren; brothers, Yoshiaki and Minoru Ogawa and a sister, Fumiko.

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