SHOKO (KOYASHIKI) VOLTURNO

Shoko Volturno 82, of Milpitas, CA, loving wife of the late Angelo Volturno and devoted mother of sons, Rod and John, passed away peacefully on October 8. Born in Kagoshima, Japan, to Sumie and Kichiji Koyashiki, she grew up surrounded by her sisters Michiko, Reiko and Terumi as well as her younger brothers Hiroyuki and Manabu. Little did anyone know at the time, the quiet and gentle Shoko would one day become the matriarch of an Italian-Japanese-American household - a cultural transition with all the predictability of Central New York weather. She met Angelo in Fukuoka and they later married in Tokyo. They settled in Southern California and started their family, welcoming Rod and John a year apart. After a brief stay, they relocated to Syracuse, NY, where the petite, demure Shoko would be introduced to her husband’s large, boisterous, occasionally argumentative extended family and where she would learn Italian cuisine, Italian slang and a few choice Italian swear words. It was here that she earned the title of best Italian cook who happened to be Japanese, a multi-decade crown which she takes with her to the afterlife. As a mother, Shoko embodied kindness, love and devotion, nurturing her sons with mortadella, prosciutto and capicolla. She took great care to give them precise, exacting portions, preventing any sibling claims of unfairness. Matching outfits were a staple of their childhood, with perhaps slight color or style differences. Despite this and the spoiling she did, they grew to become successful adults. This, without a doubt, was her greatest pride and joy. It’s what she most wanted in life and she was able to witness that success. After the family settled in Northern California, Shoko continued to nurture her sports passions, sumo from her homeland and Syracuse University football and basketball from her adopted one. She took fandom up a notch by embracing hockey and becoming a dedicated and vocal telepathic coach for the San Jose Sharks, shouting at players and coaches through the TV. Shoko’s softer side was always on display for family and that extended to the local wildlife. She unofficially established a longstanding squirrel sanctuary in her backyard, attracting generations of neighborhood squirrels with her calm, soothing voice and gentle nature. Hand-feeding them became a daily ritual and they in turn, seemed to sense the kindness she radiated. In her later years, it was her sons’ privilege to return the love and care she had always given them. With the same devotion she had shown throughout their lives, they became her caretakers, ensuring that she was constantly surrounded by love and comfort. Shoko faced her illness with quiet grace, remarkable strength and an unwavering determination, fighting hard to give her family the precious gift of extra time together - time they will forever cherish. Shoko’s memory will live on, not just in the hearts of those who loved her, but in the beauty of nature: in the delicate cherry blossoms each spring, in the serene stillness of a Zen garden, and in the resilience of bamboo bending, but never breaking. Her spirit is woven into these symbols, reminding us that her beauty, grace and strength endure. Family and friends may call from 4:00 to 6:00 PM Monday October 21, 2024 with services following at 6:00 PM at BAGOZZI TWINS FUNERAL HOME, 2601 Milton Ave, Solvay, NY 13209. Private burial will be in White Chapel Memory Gardens, DeWitt, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Shoko’s memory to The Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation at www.cholangiocarcinoma.org. Please share online tributes at www.bagozzitwins.com.

SHOKO (KOYASHIKI) VOLTURNO

February 15, 1942 - October 8, 2024