Hisae Yamashita Sander-Julin

Hisae was born on March 25, 1929 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan to Wasa and Oritaro Yamashita. The youngest of five children, she had two brothers, Senkichi and Shigeru, and two sisters, Chika and Mie. Diligent with her studies in high school, she received a scholarship to study chemistry and do research at Shizuoka University. Upon completion of her university studies, she moved to Tokyo where she met Bernard Eric Sander, an international businessman, whom she married and had a daughter with, Hestia Ann.

Hisae studied various styles of art at the Tokyo Design Academy. Later on she specialized in traditional Japanese art such as Sumie and Nihonga. Her work was even exhibited at the Ueno Royal Museum. Art always being a big part of her life, she often took Hestia to museums from the age of three so she could develop an appreciation for it. Hisae also loved to design and sew clothes and incorporated her art in her sewing by hand-painting on dresses and scarves she made.

After Eric passed away in 1972, Hisae and Hestia discussed their future plans, and one year later both mother and daughter moved to Santa Monica, California to establish their new life in the U.S. A short time later, after consideration of several career choices, Hisae decided to earn her Bachelor's degree in Nursing, thus setting off on a career as a Registered Nurse, spending many years of her life dedicated to helping others. Some years later, Hisae met Roger Julin, an editor at the Los Angeles Times, who, in fact, turned out to be the love of her life. They shared a great and happy time together until Roger lost his life ten years later from cancer. Hisae returned to work as a nurse at Saint John's Hospital in Santa Monica, and having completed a total of fifteen years in nursing, decided to retire. She returned to her artistic roots and focused on the practice of Shodo, which is also known as Japanese Calligraphy. Through the Beikoku Shodo Kenkyukai, the Japanese calligraphic art group in Los Angeles, she attained Calligraphy Master status, and her award-winning works were exhibited in the U.S. and Japan.

Hisae was always learning, trying new things and was quite inventive. Though she was fearless, took challenges head on and was a fierce protector of her family, she was also caring, fun loving and compassionate. Her height was only 4 feet 9 inches, but people noticed her wherever she went and they described her as cute, spunky and feisty! In her later years, Hisae made mobiles out of origami cranes which she gave away to her neighbors, friends and family. This was one way for her to share prosperity, happiness and long life which the cranes symbolized.

Hisae is survived by her daughter, Hestia; granddaughter, Jennifer; great grandson, Trebor; and great granddaughter, Mia. Hisae was a resident of Santa Monica for 42 years and then resided in La Jolla near her daughter for her last five years. Hisae Yamashita Sander-Julin passed away on June 11, 2020 at the age of 91. She will be missed by so many of us. "She is now dancing in the clouds," said Trebor, her seven-year-old great grandson.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Shiley-Marcos Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at UCSD is suggested. For more information, please go to: http://adrc.ucsd.edu/ Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a celebration of Hisae's life will be planned in the near future. For now, we appreciate hearing from you through this obituary.