Terri Higa, of Foster City, CA passed away suddenly on May 5, 2020. A pre-cremation
ceremony was held May 15, 2020 at Irvington Cemetery in Fremont, CA officiated by Rev.
Kuwahara of Berkeley Buddhist Temple. Terri was given the Buddhist name Shaku Jin Ai,
meaning “Eternal Deep Love.” She is buried at Heian Garden, Sunset View Cemetery.

A youthful 64, Terri was a bright light, a star whose shine dazzled with charm, wit, intelligence,
thoughtfulness, creativity, uncanny wisdom, fun and depth.  There are no words to describe how
much Terri was loved and missed. 

Terri was born on Christmas day 1955 at Tripler Army Hospital in Honolulu, Hawaii to parents
Florence and Rikio. The second of four siblings, Terri spent her youth and early adulthood
growing up in LA. As a child, Terri a tomboy who loved playing sports of all kinds and excelled
in everything she did, from athletics to art.

After graduating from high school, Terri made a living as a leather crafts artist, designing and
creating beautiful, one-of-a-kind leather belts, portfolios, wallets and other gifts. She sold her
wares at art and street festivals all over SoCal and did custom work for celebrities. At the same
time, she pursued her interest in sports by playing on the Young Buddhists of America (YBA)
all-girls basketball team in LA among others.

Terri was an accidental trailblazer all her life: she was the first woman loader ever hired at UPS
and later, had the distinction of being one of a very few women to own and operate her own car
repair shop—Higa Automotive–in SF.
 
Terri attended LA Trade Tech and became a beloved and trusted mechanic to the API LGBTQ+
and nonprofit communities in the Bay Area. Though Terri had a vast number of talents and gifts
that extended far beyond auto mechanics, she was happiest when giving back to community.
 
A social justice activist, Terri took leadership roles in helping found community groups
including APLBN, O-Musubi, OASIS and APIQWTC, and lent crucial support to JACL’s fight
for marriage and LGBT equality. 

In the last 12 years of her too-brief life, Terri found a new career working in produce at natural
foods grocer Mollie Stone's, where co-workers became family to her.  

Enamored with the natural world, Terri was an avid explorer, amateur geologist, rock hound,
fossil hunter, and birder. An animal lover her entire life, Terri took great pleasure in caring for a
small menagerie of 10 budgies (parakeets) in her last years.

Terri is survived by godson Michael & Miki; siblings Lori, Max, Randy & Kazue; nephews
Grant and Skye; and relatives in Hawaii, Washington and across the US.
  
Please share fond memories and expressions of sympathy here for Terri’s family members.
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