Marie Nishihara Sakota, 89, died January 23, 2012 of ARDS/pneumonia at Madison Memorial Hospital. On December 7, 2011, Marie passed out breaking her neck at the C1 and C2. (Same injuries as the actor Christopher Reeve).

Born April 26, 1922, at Tremonton, Utah, to Tadao and Kohide Nishihara. The third child of six and only daughter. Marie graduated from Box Elder High, Brigham City, Utah. Marie moved to Los Angeles to attend fashion design school. While there, Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japan. All Japanese on the west coast were relocated unless they could move inland. Marie moved home to Utah, bringing 15 friends making 21 people living in a 3 room home.

Marie applied to nursing school. Being Japanese, application was denied. During and after the War, Marie was saddened to be discriminated and called ugly names. She considered herself 100% American.

Marie met Kiyoshi Sakota through the Japanese matchmaker system. Their third meeting, three months later, July 26,1944, was their wedding, later solemnized in the Idaho Falls Temple on January 29, 1960. Kiyoshi died February 17, 1990.

They believed in education. They endowed two scholarships at Madison High School (MHS). One in the memory of their daughter and granddaughter. The other, the Kiyoshi and Marie Sakota Endowed Memorial Scholarship. Later, they established the Kiyoshi and Marie Sakota Foundation to provide more scholarships and other noteworthy causes.

Marie worked on the farm and Valley Bank (retiring after 25 years).

Active member in the LDS Church, her favorite calling was serving as a Visiting Teacher with Gwyn Harris for 22 years. "THE" Gwyn/Marie companionship was dissolved when a new ward was created, but her love and friendship for Gwyn is eternal.

Member of the BYU-Idaho Presidents Club, took pictures with Presidents Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson. Treasured memories with 2 prophets.

Thirty year member of the Soroptomist Club.

Biggest tragedy in Marie's life happened in June, 2004. Marie's daughter, Lorraine Kaneko and only grandchild, Laura Kaneko, were found dead in their home. The bizarre part is that Lorraine's husband and Laura's father, lived with the dead bodies and never reported their deaths. There is much more to this story.

Marie loved MHS. In 2010, she received the "Sportsmanship-You Make The Difference" award from MHS. February, 2011, the MHS girls and boys basketball teams on "senior night" honored Marie for being their "Biggest" and "Most Loyal Fan". On January 2, 2012, MHS basketball players Cache Merrill, Ryker Pierce, Robert Thueson, and Spencer Williams visited her and presented her with a MHS "Cats" pillow with "Sakota" embroidered and a color photo of the team. What a class act. Marie was very honored by all of these presentations.

Marie loved wearing her ladies Utah Jazz hat.

Marie is survived by her sons, Kenneth and Douglas, of Rexburg; brothers, Masa Nishihara, of Nyssa, OR; and Sagie (Tomie) Nishihara of Vale, OR; sisters-in-law Suzie Nishihara of Ontario, OR; Mabel Sakota of Sugar City. She was preceded in death by her husband, daughter, granddaughter, parents, three brothers; two sisters-in-law and two brothers-in-law.

Funeral services will be Saturday, January 28th at 11:00 AM at the Rexburg North LDS Stake Center, 314 E. 2nd N., Rexburg. The family will meet with friends Friday from 5:30-7:30 PM at Flamm Funeral Home in Rexburg and one hour before the services at the church. Interment is in the Rexburg Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Kiyoshi and Marie Sakota Foundation, a tax deductible foundation, at any Bank of Commerce.