Beatrice Okuno Anthony, age 97, passed away on October 13, 2020. Beatrice was born on April 13, 1923 in Brooklyn, New York to Nellie Inshaw Okuno and Ainosuke Okuno.
At the age of one, her family moved to Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania. She had many fond memories of their family business, building the Green Lantern Gift Shop and running the Tea Room across the way. Her family was involved at the Presbyterian Church of the Mountain, where she sang in the choir. In high school she was a guest soprano at many churches and organizations. Her gift and love of music was shared widely throughout Monroe County. Beatrice graduated from Stroudsburg High School in 1940. The same year she won the six-county soprano solo championship in the contest conducted by the Forensic and Music League. After marrying James T. Anthony III and having a family, she continued her passion of singing to groups to help fundraise for the addition to the East Stroudsburg Hospital. She sang with the Fred Waring Shawnee Press Recording Choir. She and James sang lead roles together in several operettas, a favorite being the Mikado. Her family was close, living in an inter- generational home and running their family business. She loved dogs, living in the Water Gap and was a member of the Delaware Water Gap Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary. She shared fondly her memories of visiting the Jersey Shore.
In 1970 Beatrice headed west for California, following her daughter to Inglewood and then San Diego. In San Diego, she continued her love of working with tourists as she did at the Green Lantern Gift Shop in the Poconos. She found her niche at Sea World, where she was employed until she retired. She enjoyed working in the park gift shops and conversing with vacationers from all over; she loved people. She had a great connection to lighthouses and the ocean, visiting the seals and beach with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She looked forward to her fall trips back East to reconnect with her family, friends and the autumn leaves.
Beatrice will always be remembered for her amazing jello molds at the holidays, never missing having the TV on for the Macy’s Thanksgiving or Rose Parade. She was always the perfect host to any family or friend who would stop by to chat. She never went a day without reading the San Diego Union Tribune, and she was an ardent viewer of PBS, especially for 4th of July concerts. Family and friends miss her many stories of days gone by.
Preceded in death by her parents, her brother Clifford Okuno and his wife Helen, and James T. Anthony III. Beatrice will be lovingly remembered by her daughter, Linda Saylor (Darwin) and son, James T. Anthony IV (Linda). She was lovingly called Nannie Bea by her grandchildren Darren Saylor, Danielle Bossen (Brook) and James T. Anthony V (Tiffani) and great-grandchildren Dylan, Morgan, and Shenandoah Bossen and Addelyn James Anthony. She will be missed by her nieces and nephews Faye Chamberlain, Hope Okuno, Clifford K. Okuno Jr., Roger Okuno, their families and many friends.
There will be no service at this time, but summer 2021 her family will celebrate her life as she is interred in Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania.
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