Masako N. Santos, of New Albany, Indiana, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 15, 2019, at Silvercrest Nursing Home at the age of 89. Masako was born in Okinawa, Japan, and endured many hardships in her young life, including protecting her younger siblings during the occupation of Okinawa by the Japanese in WWII. She married her late husband, Jose, in 1960 and left Okinawa with her husband and four sons in 1973, leaving behind her family and her business as a dressmaker and seamstress. She enjoyed living around the world including Cincinnati, Ohio, Jefferesonville, Indiana, Munich, Germany, Rantoul, Illinois, Honolulu, Hawaii, and a brief stint back in Okinawa, Japan, before retiring with her husband in 1992 in New Albany, Indiana. She spent her retirement years enjoying her large garden, walking the neighborhood, traveling back to Okinawa and the Philippines, going to church, and spending time with her grandchildren.

She was born on March 13, 1930, in Nago, Okinawa, Japan, to the late Fukuson and Ashi Nakao. Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Jose Santos.

Masako is survived by her loving sons, Joseph John (Carla) Santos, Angelo Santos, Alex (Sarah) Santos, and Philipp (Piper) Santos; 6 grandchildren, Amanda, Samantha, Tyler, Kathryn "Kassi," Elizabeth, and Emma; great-grandson, Oliver; brothers, Misao, Kiyoshi, and Mistuo; and sisters, Sachiko and Kastuko "Kachan."

Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2019, at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals & Receptions - New Albany. Her Funeral Service will be at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home with burial to follow at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

The family requests that contributions in Masako’s memory be made to the Leukemia Foundation.

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