HOLYOKE

Atsuko (Sakai) Simonet, 80, died Tuesday, October 3, 2017 at the Leavitt Family Jewish Nursing Home in Longmeadow.  Atsuko was born on January 6, 1937 to Saburo and Haru (Ishino) Sakai in Tokyo, Japan and emigrated to the United States in 1958.  Atsuko lived for many years in New Jersey and was active in the Soka Gakkai International and Japanese communities there. Atsuko loved animals, the Boston Red Sox, and especially, enthusiastically the slot machines of Atlantic City.  Atsuko is survived by her granddaughter, Alexandra Brewer, and her former daughter in law and her husband, Laura Ferriter and Michael Brodeur of Holyoke, as well as relatives in Japan.  Atsuko was predeceased by her parents; her husband, William Simonet; and her son, Edward J. Brewer, III.  Burial will be at the Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Wrightstown, New Jersey, on October 11, 2017. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Dakin Humane Society, www.dakinhumane.org.