Shige was born on Jul 14,1942 in Okinawa, where at age 3 she experienced the horror of war. She lost her father in that war and afterwards her mother in 1959. Orphaned at 17 and needing to support her younger brother Yutaka, she worked as a Bus Guide, a Housekeeper, and then as a Hostess at The Kokusai Bowling Alley. The bowling alley is where she met her American husband Nick in 1965. They dated, and after months of red tape they eventually married in Jan of 1967.

Upon arrival in America in 1968 Shige began the process of adjusting to a different culture and language. A frightful example of that was during her driver’s test when the Test Officer told her to go about 50 feet in reverse. Unfortunately, she only processed “go 50 in reverse”. Well of course she failed the test. The Officer was pretty shaken up but nobody was really injured. The following week she retook the test with a different Officer and passed. In 1993 after profusely studying the US Constitution and history, she took and passed her citizenship test in Chicago. Later that year, she was proudly sworn in as a US Citizen in Indianapolis

Shige and Nick have 2 children. Dr Anthony Lunato, and Mrs. Mika Owens (nee Lunato). Anthony is a retired scientist from Eli Lilly living in Zionsville, Indiana with his wife Kim. They have two children, Jansing and Jaelin. Mika is married to Michael Owens and is living in Astoria New York. She works in Manhattan as a Graphics Designer with Chermayeff Geismar and Haviv.

Care of Shige has been entrusted to In Their Honor Funeral and Cremation Providers.