Obituary: Yuri Lily Hasegawa, 97, Hood River
Yuri Lily Hasegawa, 97, passed away peacefully on June 14, 2025.
She was born on March 7, 1928, in Hood River, Oregon, to Masaru and Akimi (Kuranishi) Kawachi. Yuri grew up in the Hood River Valley and attended Oak Grove Grade School. In 1942, during World War II, Yuri and her family were forcibly removed from their home and sent to the Pinedale Assembly Center in California, then to Tule Lake, and later to the Heart Mountain internment camp in Wyoming. After the war, they returned to Hood River in 1945 and Yuri graduated from Hood River High School in 1947.
Soon after, Yuri earned a business degree and began working for the State of Oregon, where she dedicated 30 years of service before retiring.
On May 6, 1956, she married Mark Hasegawa at Centenary Wilbur Methodist Church in Portland. Together, they raised three children and built a life full of love, laughter, and shared adventures.
Yuri was an avid bowler, participating in two leagues- one on Tuesday mornings and another on Thursday evenings. She loved to travel, taking countless trips to Reno with Mark and enjoying frequent visits to Hawaii with her daughters. In earlier years, family trips to the Oregon Coast for clam-digging were among her most treasured memories. Above all, Yuri found her greatest joy in time spent with her husband, children, and grandchildren.
She is survived by her children: Rhonda (Jeff) Kaneshige of Gladstone, OR; Jeff (Jackie) Hasegawa of Hood River, OR; and Janet (Tom) Mellman of Burlingame, CA. She also leaves behind her beloved grandchildren: Courtney Hasegawa (Manuel Garcia), Michael Hasegawa, and Gavin Mellman; her sister-in-law Dorothy Kawachi; brother-in-law James Hasegawa; sister-in-law Ella Hasegawa; and many nieces and nephews.
Yuri was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Mark; her parents; her brothers Teruo, Kenji, and Hiro; and her sister, Mary Imai.
She will be remembered for her quiet strength, unwavering devotion to family, and the joyful memories she created with all who knew and loved her.
A Celebration of Life for Yuri was held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 21st, 2025, at Anderson’s Tribute Center (1401 Belmont Ave, Hood River, OR 97031). Graveside Rites will follow at Idlewilde Cemetery. A time of continued sharing will be at the Westside Fire Department Rockford Station.
Arrangements are under the direction of Anderson's Tribute Center • 1401 Belmont Avenue, Hood River, Oregon 97031. Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
