Yukiko (Yuki) Anami; Owned Nursery in Glendale

Yukiko (Yuki) Anami, who owned and operated the Tropico Nursery in Glendale for 50 years, has died at her La Canada Flintridge home. She was 69.

She died Monday of cancer, said her daughter, Maureen Ujimori.

Mrs. Anami was raised in Glendale and graduated from Hoover High School in 1938. She worked in the Tropico Nursery, owned by her father, until 1942 when her family was forced to sell the property and live in the Manzanar War Relocation Center in eastern California. On Sept. 27, 1943, a police escort took her and Isei Anami to Reno, where they were married. She continued to live in the camp while he fought in Europe with the Army’s 442nd Army Regimental Combat Team, a Japanese-American unit.

After the war, the couple found the nursery on San Fernando Road abandoned and repurchased the property. They built a successful nursery, closing it when they retired in November, 1987.

Mrs. Anami is survived by her husband of 46 years; a son, Kenneth Anami of Arcadia; daughters, Christine Anami of Pasadena and Maureen Ujimori of North Hollywood; mother, Minoru Kishi of La Canada Flintridge; a brother, Jim Y. Kishi of Pasadena; and three granddaughters.

A memorial service is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at the Church of the Recessional, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., Glendale. Forest Lawn is handling the arrangements. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the memorial park.