Setsuko (Nishihara) Mendes, age 79, of Rochester, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Marion. She was predeceased by her husband, Nicholas “Nick” Mendes and her parents, Toshimasa and Uto Nishihara.

She is survived by sister-in-law Rose Mendes of Marion; brother-in-law Andrew Mendes of Marion; sister-in-law Natalie Mendes of West Hartford, CT; niece Karen Christmas and her husband Sharrieff of Middleboro, nephews Michael Mendes of Wareham and Christopher Mendes and his wife Adriana of Merrimac, NH, as well as grandnieces, grandnephews, and a host of other family members who will cherish her memory.

Setsuko was born in Okinawa, Japan on Dec. 22, 1941. She married Master Gunnery Sergeant Nick Mendes USMC in Okinawa on March 9, 1967, and migrated to the United States with her husband in May 1970. As the wife of a Marine Corps serviceman, she spent her first years in the states in various Marine stations including California and North Carolina, before settling in Massachusetts and finally making her home on the Mendes family homestead in Rochester.

Setsuko was an accomplished seamstress and tailor, specializing in men’s clothing and designs, a skill for which her husband was the happy recipient. She enjoyed quiet times, gardening, sharing her artistic flair and creativity in her floral designs, cooking and baking, and sharing what she had with others. A kind, generous, and caring person, Setsuko lived a life of service to others. She was happiest when she made others happy. She spent the last three years in the caring hands of the staff at Sippican Healthcare in Marion.

Setsuko’s memory will be honored and cherished by the family and friends she leaves behind. 

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the service will be private. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Setsuko’s memory to the Agnes T. Mendes Memorial Scholarship Fund, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth Foundation Inc., 285 Old Wesport Road, Wesport, MA 02747.

Arrangements are by Chapman, Cole & Gleason Funeral Home, 2599 Cranberry Hwy., Wareham. To share a memory or leave a message of condolence, visit: ccgfuneralhome.com.