June 15, 1946 - February 18, 2025
Arleen Mataga, 78, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend, passed away on Feb. 18, 2025, following a brief but courageous battle with cancer. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Yosh Mataga of Stockton, Calif., daughters Kathryn (Stephen Shimane) of Elk Grove, Calif., and Carolyn (Robert Dobler) of Lodi, Calif., grandchildren Kaylee, Alyssa, (Michael), Evan and Brooke, honorary son Cameron Izuno (Jessica del Mundo) of Los Angeles, Calif., and grandsons Jace and Cade.
Born in Chicago on Jun.15, 1946 to Tamaki and Carl Kawagoye, Arleen was the youngest of two children, sister to Alan Kawagoye (Lyra Bontigao), who preceded her in death. She was a daughter who loved (and was best friends with) her mom, a devoted granddaughter, a feisty sister, a teacher and learner at heart, a dedicated wife, a loving mother and the most amazing grandmother. (She often joked that had she known how amazing grandchildren were, she would have had them first.) Beloved as a good neighbor and a genuine and dedicated friend, Arleen kept in touch with family and friends and was known for regularly visiting them whenever she was in the area, picking up as if no time had passed.
Raised in Los Angeles, Arleen graduated from Dorsey High School and earned her bachelor’s degree at California State University in Los Angeles, where she was a member of Kappa Zeta Phi sorority. She met husband Yosh in 1960, and they married in 1969. In 1980, with their two young daughters in tow, Arleen and Yosh left Los Angeles for Lodi, where they established a successful family business selling automobiles under the Mataga brand. Still operating 45 years later, Mataga of Stockton is a Cadillac and GMC dealership run by their daughters Kathryn, Carolyn and an amazing team.
Before retiring to raise her children, Arleen began her career as a teacher. In addition to teaching science and home economics, she taught the GATE program at Byrd Junior High School in Los Angeles. Throughout her life, Arleen actively gave back to the community and volunteered her time, energy and support to many, helping out in her daughters’ and grandchildren’s schools, as well as supporting local programming and arts.
Arleen volunteered with the Lodi Library, California Museum in Sacramento (Special Program: The Time of Remembrance), annually serving as a docent and educator on the Japanese American internment camps of World War II, and Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). Her family had been incarcerated at Gila River, Ariz., from 1944-1945, and she had shared the experience to raise awareness about this lesser-known, dark chapter in U.S. history, with the goal of educating the public and next generation in order to prevent a recurrence of a similar denial of American civil rights. The Lodi chapter of the JACL recently honored Arleen with an award for 40 years of selfless service, representing the chapter and civil rights.
Together with her husband, Arleen was a member of the Elks Lodge in Stockton, Calif. where they enjoyed social events with dinner and dancing, and the Woodbridge Golf & Country Club in Woodbridge, Calif. where she served as captain of the women’s nine-hole group “Fore Tee Niners” for more than 20 years.
Arleen was frequently remembered for her dancing at various functions. She had a passion for teaching people how to cha-cha, swing, two-step, and line dance, and would commonly be the first one on the dance floor and the last one to leave.
An avid skier, Arleen skied often with Yosh in their youth at Mammoth, and with her children and even her grandchildren in Lake Tahoe. She enjoyed baking, was a great cook, and was extraordinarily proud that she was passing down her recipes to her children and grandchildren, so they could carry on her traditions at Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
She loved to travel, always saying how wonderful and unexpected it was since she and Yosh both grew up so poor. She said that good luck, opportunities, risks, and decisions they made took them from being a teacher and a grocery box boy (which she was perfectly happy with) to living a life full of unique experiences with the most amazing things, and cruising and seeing the world with friends and family.
Arleen would say that she had a wonderful life and truly enjoyed all of the time she spent with those dear to her. She would say she had the most fun time connecting and laughing, reminiscing, and creating new special memories. She will be dearly missed by all those who truly knew her.
Services
Friends of Arleen are welcome to join in remembering her life on Saturday, Apr. 5th, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., at the Woodbridge Golf and Country Club (open house style).
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lodi JACL at: Japanese American Citizens League, P.O. Box 2454, Lodi, Calif. 95241, in Arleen’s honor.
Please leave your condolences below.
Cherokee Memorial is honored to serve the Mataga family.
