Toshiye Hirose

Toshiye Shimomura Hirose passed away in San Francisco, on October 15, 2025. Toshiye (Toshi) was born in King City, CA on September 26, 1921, the daughter of Shungo Mimura Shimomura and Umeko Shimomura. Toshi was the eldest of eight children. Her early years were spent in Spreckels, California where her father farmed. Toshi always described herself as a farmer’s daughter, and she and her siblings contributed on the farm by irrigating, weeding, and picking crops. As the eldest child, Toshi often helped out as a second mother to her seven younger siblings, and those relationships remained strong throughout their lives.

Toshi started taking piano lessons in third grade. She began playing piano at the local church as a high school student. Toshi graduated from Salinas High School in 1939 and from Salinas Junior College in 1941.

In July 1942, during World War II, the Shimomura family was evacuated by the U.S. Government to an internment camp in Poston, Arizona. In February 1944, after almost two years at Poston, Toshi and her sister Sachi traveled by train to Philadelphia, to a government relocation office for the resettlement of internment camp evacuees. The rest of the family joined them in Pennsylvania later that year, eventually settling in New Jersey.

In January 1948, Toshi married George Magotaka Hirose, a Presbyterian minister serving in Long Beach, California. They enjoyed a cross-country honeymoon on the train from Pennsylvania to California. Toshi became actively involved in George’s pastorates, teaching Sunday School, playing piano and organ, and performing many administrative duties.

George and Toshi had four children—Elizabeth, Laura, Peter, and John. Over the years the family lived in Hollywood, CA; Princeton, NJ; San Francisco, CA; Salt Lake City, UT; Lewistown, MT; Hazelton, ID; and Weiser, ID before moving to San Francisco in retirement in 1986.

Toshi was a loving and devoted behind-the-scenes force in her many roles as sister, minister’s wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, community member, and friend. When George’s father became ill in 1964, Toshi moved from Salt Lake City with her four children to San Francisco for a year to help with his care. After George and Toshi’s retirement, she served as a deacon at Christ United Presbyterian Church. Additionally, as part of that church’s outreach program, she played piano for residents at a local nursing home. Throughout her 90’s, she played the large pipe organ for Mission Presbyterian Church.

Toshi was an accomplished craftsperson, experienced in needlepoint, crocheting, and knitting. And Toshi was the origamist for the family and folded the traditional 1000 origami cranes for each of many family weddings.

Toshi was preceded in death by her husband George Hirose (2006) and brothers Lincoln (2015); Joshua (2016); and Taro (2022).

She is survived by daughters Eizabeth Hirose and Laura Hirose Olson; sons Peter Hirose and John Hirose; grandson Arman Hirose-Afshari and great-granddaughter Sonoya Hirose-Afshari; sisters Sachi Furuya, Anne Moore, and Mariko Shimomura; and brother David Shimomura (Shioko).

A memorial service will be held at Christ United Presbyterian Church, 1700 Sutter Street (at Laguna), San Francisco, CA on Saturday, December 13th at noon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Christ United Presbyterian Church.