IN LOVING MEMORY OF SUMIKO KOPTI
April 3, 1931 – April 30, 2022
Sumiko Nagasawa Kopti passed away at her home in Fayetteville at age 91, after a 16-month battle with lung cancer.
Sumiko was born in Sapporo in the northern island of Hokkaido, Japan, to the late Nagasawa Nobuyoshi and Kuroda Taka, and was the granddaughter of a samurai warrior. She met her future husband, Russell Kopti, while he was stationed in Japan with the U.S. Army. She moved to the United States permanently in 1957 with her young family when her husband reported for military duty at Fort Bragg, and subsequently became a U.S. citizen. Although she lived for short periods in Connecticut and Arizona, she resided in Fayetteville and nearby Fort Bragg for most of her adult life.
Sumiko is preceded in death by her parents, by her brother and three sisters (one of whom was killed during military action in wartime Japan), by her husband Russell, and by her son George. She is survived by her son, Daniel of California (and grandchildren, Arman of Texas, and Meena, of California); by her son, Will and his wife, Samantha of Fayetteville (and grandchild Megan, of Chapel Hill); by George’s widow, Beth of Charlotte (and grandchild, Emily and her husband, Ben Cunningham of Colorado, and great-grandchildren, Piper and Logan; grandchild, David of Nebraska; grandchild, Andrew and his wife, Mary Kathryn of Charlotte, and great-grandchild, Eleanor; and grandchild, Catherine of Nebraska).
Sumiko enjoyed socializing with her many friends in the Fayetteville area, watching Japanese videos and television, participating in bowling leagues at Fort Bragg, and traveling on gambling junkets to Atlantic City. Her family wishes to express its deepest appreciation to her friends for their help during her final illness.
Sumiko Nagasawa Kopti will be greatly missed by all.
A Graveside Service will be held at 2 pm on Monday, May 9, 2022, at Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery. The family will receive friends prior to the service at Rogers and Breece Funeral Home from 12 to 1:15 pm.
