01/27/2026
Emiko Caubet Obituary
Emiko Caubet, born Emiko Yamasaki, passed peacefully on January 23, 2026, closing a life that stretched across continents, cultures, war, rebuilding, marriage, and generations. She was 94 years old.
Emiko was born on August 18, 1931, in Yamaguchi, Japan, the eldest of two children born to Kazumasa and Etsuko Yamasaki. Her early years with her brother Takayuki, were shaped by the steady rhythms of life on the family rice farm—seasons, soil, patience, and endurance—lessons that would quietly mark her character for the rest of her life.
Her childhood was interrupted by history when her father was drafted into the Japanese military during World War II, serving until the war’s end. Like so many of her generation, Emiko learned early that life is not promised to be gentle, only to be endured with dignity.
In the difficult years following the war, Emiko met an American serviceman, William Caubet. From that unlikely meeting grew a lifelong partnership. They were married on September 29, 1953, beginning a marriage that would span decades and bridge two worlds. Together, Emiko and William raised three children—William Jr.(Rose), Paul(Donna), and Emi(John Leffler, deceased)—who survive their parents. Her life widened further with the gift of
nine grandchildren: Julie, Timothy, Christina, Alex, Michelle, Kelly, Brian, Joseph and Anthony and five great-grandchildren: Noah, Lilliana, Bodhi, Etta, and Grace. Through them, her story continues, written now in new hands.
Emiko’s life was not loud, but it was strong. She belonged to a generation that rebuilt after devastation, valued family over self, and understood that love is proven less by words than by daily faithfulness. She carried her heritage with quiet pride and her responsibilities with resolve. She will be remembered for her perseverance, her devotion to family, and the steady grace with which she bore both joy and hardship. From a rice farm in Yamaguchi to a family tree that now spans generations and nations, Emiko Caubet lived a life rooted, resilient, and complete.
May she rest in peace.
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