Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Mika Nemoto was born in Tokyo, Japan, to Yumi and Howard Nemoto, in 1975. She was a quiet child but very smart, always listening and paying attention to directions. When she was two-years-old, the family moved to the Los Angeles area. With the birth of her brother, Jimmy, she was happy to welcome him into her world. The family was always close, loving and supportive. As Mika learned English, she helped translate for her parents. She was fluent in both the Japanese and English languages. Every other year, the family traveled to Japan to visit with relatives. Family was a priority and a joy. Her parents had a positive influence on Mika's love of people and she enjoyed spending time with her family. Her parents taught her many skills, including how to chop shrimp and prepare ingredients for food dishes, as her father was a top sushi chef. For fun, Mika especially liked shopping with her mother, who was a true friend and supporter. When she turned 16, her parents had a big party at the restaurant with lots of her girlfriends.

In school, Mika excelled academically as she was an honors student in the gifted program. She graduated from Calabasas High School and went on to earn her degree in Communications at the University of Southern California. During her years at USC, she pledged the sorority Gamma Phi Beta. It was during the first week of pledging that she met Ilana, who became a lifelong friend. The girls always had fun spending time together with the sorority and their friends. Mika was very spirited, full of life and enjoyed having a good time. After college, she landed a job as Assistant to the Vice President of Special Events at MGM. She worked at MGM until she joined Clear Channel working on the Lollapalooza tour. For more than a year, she had an incredible adventure as she traveled all over the country helping with events on the tour. Mika moved to Japan for a year and when she returned, she worked for the hotel group Kor in customer service. Her most recent position was working as a personal concierge handling traveling arrangements for a Vice President at SBE Entertainment Group. All of her jobs focused on communications, as she liked working with people. At home, Mika and Ilana held theme parties. For a sushi party, they dressed up as fresh flowers. For a back to school party, they dressed as schoolteachers. For a luau, they dressed as Hawaiian girls. They liked having fun. In her free time, she enjoyed dance music, as she liked going out with friends. It was on one of those outings to Goya, where she met her boyfriend, Matt. It was a whirlwind romance and the couple became inseparable. Mika would call Matt throughout the day and do nice little things such as send cookies or pizza to his office, while he took flowers or coffee to her office. After a few months, she invited him to move out of his apartment in Marina Del Rey and move in with her instead. It was a wonderful move, as Mika and Matt truly loved each other. They had so much in common as they enjoyed the same things in life.

Over the years, Mika's family spent time together for holidays and dinners. No matter what was going on in her life, Mika always made time to help at her father's restaurant, Kaminari Sushi, in Westlake Village. Happily taking a hands-on approach, she organized the menu for the restaurant. At home, she always enjoyed chopping vegetables and she made delicious salads. Mika had many favorites in life. She enjoyed watching movies with Matt. Her favorite movie was "Pretty Woman." She loved texting her friends on the phone asking, "What are you doing?" Her favorite treats were fruity and sweet such as sorbet. Her favorite beverages were iced tea and lemonade. She loved shopping. Her favorite flowers were sunflowers, lilies and stargazers. Her favorite color was golden yellow. Mika enjoyed the companionship of pets. She had two Chihuahuas. The first one she named Scrappy Hobby Nemoto. She loved dressing him up in goggles, a juicy vest and socks. Since April, she had a new Chihuahua named Cooper, who loved her very much.

Mika was a world traveler who lived life at a very fast pace. She traveled regularly with her family to Japan. Four years ago, she visited Hong Kong with Ilana on an eight-day trip. It was their first time together alone and they got along so well. Everything in China went very well. Mika and Matt enjoyed many trips together including Mexico City, Catalina, and one month ago, France and Italy. While in Catalina, they explored the Island by golf cart, which Mika enjoyed tremendously. She liked driving the golf cart up and down hills. Mika learned how to drive stick shift in a little rented car in Europe. While in France, Matt asked Mika to marry him. She said, "Yes!" The couple decided to return home and prepare for their future together, as Matt first wanted to ask Mika's father for her hand in marriage. They were truly soul mates. Mika's final hours were spent laughing and dancing with friends as she celebrated her best friend's birthday, and her final night was spent in Matt's embrace. She was truly loved by her family and friends, as Mika's presence will be missed every day.

Mika will best be remembered as a wonderful daughter, a passionate, giving friend who was loyal to those she loved, and the most kind, sincere person who was willing to help anyone. She had unique qualities that you don't find in many people. When she walked into a room, everyone noticed as she had an incredible personality. She often told her family, friends and Matt, "I love you," as she was so happy with the people who surrounded her in life. She especially adored her nephew Conner, who she loved with all of her heart. Mika's advice would be to live life and don't be sad. Instead, remember the way she made a statement in this life about who she was. Most importantly, remember her smile, how she loved to laugh and how she liked doing things for other people. Mika Nemoto was beautiful on the inside and outside. She was an angel…

Mika is loved by her parents Yumi and Howard; brother Jimmy and his girlfriend Erin; nephew Conner; boyfriend Matt; best friend Ilana; relatives in Japan and many friends.

We miss you and we love you Mika…