Teruko Rizzo

Teruko Shirota Rizzo of West Palm Beach passed away on December 20, 2023, surrounded by her children. She was 88 years old. Teruko (Terry) was born on May 25, 1935, on the island of Ishigaki, Yaeyama Islands, which is part of the Ryukyu Islands, (Okinawa Prefecture) Japan. Her childhood home stood on a corner and had tatami mats. The home remains in her family to this day. She and her family were evacuated to Taiwan for about a year during World War II. While working on the US Military base on Okinawa, she met Agatino Rizzo, a handsome young Marine from New York City, and they were married in 1962. They and their young family departed Okinawa for America on New Year's Eve 1964. They lived in Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, before moving to Florida. Teruko was confirmed in the Catholic Church along side her daughter Maria with her Mother-in-Law Carmela serving as her sponsor. She proudly became an American citizen in 1978 and a driver's license completed her "Americanization." Teruko most recently worked at the Woodmont County Club in Tamarac, FL, retiring in 2005. She valued her family above all else, including the family dogs. Her name Teruko is derived from the Japanese word for illuminate or shine. Teruko was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Agatino; her parents, Nobuari and Okiku Shirota; Mother-in-Law Carmela Rizzo, Brothers Nobuo, Nobuhide, Shinko, Yuu, Nobunori, and Hachiro; sisters Toshiko and Setsuko; and sister-in-law Josephine. She is survived by her children Carmelo and his wife Norma Dunlap, Maria, and Teriann Conrad and her husband Gregg Conrad, sister Kimiko, and Brother-in-laws Carmelo and Salvatore and his wife MaryEllen, and sister-in-law Nancy, grandchildren Joseph, Emily, and Isaac, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, and the family dogs Koi and Pez. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association: https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2?df_id=32112&32112.donation=form1