Holly Lugene Eckstein

Holly Lugene Eckstein, 60, of Poway, Calif., passed away suddenly Tuesday at Thornton Hospital, San Diego, Calif., after a fast-paced battle with cancer.

Holly was born to Eugene and Madalene (Tyler) Eckstein of Renfrew on June 25, 1955.

She grew up the youngest of four siblings and attended Seneca Valley High School and later Allegheny College in Meadville, Pa. She did her junior year of college abroad in Wales and graduated with her master's in education in 1977.

Holly worked as a science teacher in schools across America as well as internationally, where her passion and enthusiasm for teaching and travel came together.

She met Masao Kaji of Tokyo, Japan, in Israel in 1986, where she was teaching, and he was bicycling around the world. She found her soulmate in him, and she joined him on bicycle during her summers. They were married July 30, 1988, in Butler. They continued their travels, and Holly continued to ride her bicycle until her eighth month of pregnancy with their first daughter, Serena, in 1991. They welcomed their second daughter, Emina, in 1995 while living in Turkey, where Holly was teaching.

Holly's joy and love of life was evident to everyone who ever had the pleasure of meeting her. She was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2000, and continued to take life head on in everything she did. Holly was constantly on the go and always striving to show those around her how much life had to offer. She became a teacher with a Japanese home-stay program and loved showing guests all over San Diego.

Holly was a devoted member of her church as well as her Mom's in Prayer group. She organized parent coffee get-togethers for those involved with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. She was incredibly passionate about the environment and could often be seen bicycling around Poway, on her way to community activities. Holly loved being active, participating in yoga, Zumba and always taking people to go boogie boarding with her.

Holly was preceded in death by her mother and father.

She is survived by her husband, Masao Kaji; her daughters, Serena and Emina; her siblings, Nancy Adamczyk of Thousand Oaks, Calif., and Arthur and Allen Eckstein of Butler.

Holly will be dearly missed and remembered.

ECKSTEIN — A celebration of life for Holly Lugene Eckstein, who died Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2015, will be at 2 p.m. Jan. 24 at the Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church, San Diego, Calif.The Poway-Bernardo Mortuary in Poway, Calif., is assisting with the arrangements.In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Holly's name to the JDRF (www.jdrf.org) or the Arthritis Foundation (www.arthritis.org).