Fumiko “Fumi” Yoshitake was born on January 13, 1933 to the late Tasuke and Mitsue Yoshitake in Fukuoka, Japan. She spent her childhood with her loving family, including two brothers and a sister. She was active in school activities and enjoyed having fun. She grew up during the war, and had a deep appreciation for the things that mattered most in life – love, family, and friends. Fumi was appreciative of everything and loved doing things for others. She cherished every gift down to the wrapping paper it came inside. Upon graduation, she worked in Tokyo, Japan at the phone company as a switch operator for approximately 13 years. Fumi met the love of her life Thomas W. Knox during this time. Hearing her share the story of how they met is the funniest part of their relationship. Thomas was out enjoying a night on the town in Japan with his Air Force buddies and ended up in Fumi’s living room after a bit too much to drink. She sat in the chair all night watching him to make sure he didn’t leave upon waking. When asked why she did that – she said he was tall and handsome and she didn’t want to let him go. They married January 10, 1964 in Japan, surrounded by her family and friends and remained inseparable from that moment on. While Thomas was busy working at the various Air Force Bases, Fumi took to babysitting as she had a deep love for children. She would gift every child she saw with money, hugs, dancing and laughter. While Thomas and Fumi didn’t have children of their own, they loved their fur babies Willy, Mimi, Gigi, and Princess throughout their years. She went to school in the US to learn English and obtained her driver’s license to which she became the fastest driver in the family. During their time at Shaw AFB in South Carolina, Fumi worked in the Chow Hall as server where she met a lot of friends, attended various holiday parties, and enjoyed many tea parties. She enjoyed spending time with friends and family, playing bingo, 21, karaoke, dancing, crafts and of course shopping. She had a deep love for her culture. You would often find her reading her books, admiring her Geisha doll collection, and watching Japanese soap operas. Fumi traveled back to Japan to visit her family and friends many times while building her life in the U.S. with Thomas. She truly loved to travel. One of her favorite vacations was when she went to Disney World. She enjoyed it so much, she repeated the vacation 2 more times. Fumi wore her heart on her sleeve and shared her big smile with everyone that knew her. In her house and others, her Japanese custom of removing shoes at the door was in the forefront. If you didn’t, she made sure to remind you and everyone else. She taught her nieces and nephews all about her culture. She loved cooking for them, teaching them Japanese words, and sharing her life’s story through game, song, dancing, or a simple conversation. Asked once by her niece, the secret to finding a lasting love; her response: Find someone with a good heart and it doesn’t hurt to be a little cute. Thomas and Fumi had a lasting love that would span over five decades together. They spent 57 years by each other’s side before passing 5 days apart. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Thomas W. Knox. Her parents Tasuke and Mitsue Yoshitake, sister: Kyoko Yoshida, brothers: Hitoshi and Terkazu. She is survived by her niece Miho Fuji and Koichi Yoshida as well as a host of other family and friends. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, February 12, 2021 in the Chapel of the Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. The service will be livestreamed and the link may be accessed via the Tribute Wall section of Fumi Knox found at www.hightowersmemorial.com. Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, we encourage everyone to make the best decisions to remain safe. If anyone wishes to attend these gatherings, please remember to remain 6 feet apart from those not in your household and wear personal protective equipment, if available. You may share your thoughts and condolences online at www.hightowersmemorial.com.Hightower’s Memorial Chapel of Douglasville has charge of the arrangements. 770-489-2818.