Maxine Imanaka

Maxine Naomi Imanaka, age 78, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2022 in Holland Michigan. Born May 19, 1943 in Hilo, Hawaii to her parents Hiroichi and Chizuko Imanaka. She attended and graduated from Honolulu Technical School in Cafeteria Management and later from Henry Ford Community College and Western Michigan University in education. She achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher at 24 yrs. old and taught at Holland Public School for 30 years, retiring in 2002. She spent those glorious retirement years volunteering, crocheting and knitting, making beautiful coffee filter flowers and reimagining the ancient paper folding origami art into decorative objects. A life well lived!

Her urn will be placed in the family niche in Hilo, Hawaii.

Maxine was preceded in death by her brothers, Kenneth (Fujie), and Earl (Tokiyo).

She is survived by her siblings: Wayne (Pat) Imanaka and Carol Imanaka; nieces and nephews and a broad community of ohana (family) in Holland.

Memorial tributes/donations in Maxine’s name may be made to: Resilience (formerly Women in Transition) at www.ResilienceMI.org or Holland Museum, 31 W. 10th Street, Holland, MI 49423, online at https://hollandmuseum.org/support/donate/. Please choose the Tribute Option and include Maxine Imanaka. Arrangements are by Dykstra Funeral Homes-Downtown Chapel.