Amy Hatsue Takenaka-Websdale, assistant director for the Civic Service Institute at Northern Arizona University, died Aug. 7, 2012, after a 16-year battle with cancer. She was 56.
Born March 18, 1956, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Hiroshi and June Takenaka, Ms. Websdale graduated from Castle High School in Kaneohe, Hawaii. She received a bachelor’s degree in zoology from the University of Washington and a master’s in health administration from the University of Oregon.
Ms. Websdale worked in the field of social services in a variety of capacities. She began her career at Northern Arizona University in 1994 as an outreach counselor for the Gerontology/Senior Companion program. In 2010, she became the assistant director over the Senior Corps program of the Civic Service Institute at NAU.
Ms. Websdale was the founder of the NAU Hapa Club, an organization for students from Hawaii. She was also active in Halau Hula Napuaokalei’ilima and was a practicing Buddhist belonging to the Soka Gakkai International, Glory District from Eagle Peak.
She will be especially remembered for her warmth of heart and spirit, her optimism, and her courage and determination in the face of numerous medical challenges.
Survivors include her mother, June Takenaka, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, and her daughter, Mia Websdale, of Tucson.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Norvel Owens Mortuary, 914 E. Route 66, in Flagstaff.
Condolences may be left for the family at www.norvelowensmortuary.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the NAU Foundation – Amy Websdale (Halau) Scholarship Fund (# 5319), PO Box 4094, Flagstaff, AZ 86001.