Yoko Kiser

Yoko T. Kiser was one of those rare individuals who profoundly impacted the lives of those around her. Born on September 9, 1943 in the midst of WWII, she started as an exemplary daughter yet defiantly married an American against her parents' wishes. She was a feisty yet caring eldest sibling of four. She was an amazing friend with deep life-long friendships. She was a worrywart yet a fun and adventurous companion to her husband. She was a strict yet loving mother whose only concern after the births of her children was their wellbeing. She was an inspiring teacher whose former students kept in touch with her for decades.

She was born in Tokyo and spent her early years in her father's company housing, where the entire family shared one small room. During that time, she helped her mother raise her younger siblings. The family later moved to a house in Kugenuma, a suburb south of Tokyo close to the beach. Always a hard-working student, she gained admission to Shonan High School, which was not accepting many female students at the time. She then earned her bachelor's degree in English literature from Tsuda University, another prestigious institution.

After a long romance with an American naval officer, she married him at St. Nicholai Cathedral in Japan in 1969. While caring for their two young toddlers, she then managed to obtain her master's degree in organ performance from Senzoku Gakuen College of Music. The couple raised two children while juggling multiple teaching jobs and working long hours. Despite her passion for music, her pursuit of it took a backseat, even though her husband installed an organ close to the ceiling in their bedroom.

The family eventually moved to the United States and settled in Sudbury, Massachusetts, in the 1990s. In 2005, she and her husband relocated to Littleton, Massachusetts. While continuing to explore their love of travel, she taught Japanese at various institutions in the Boston area, including Bunker Hill Community College and Boston University.

In 2009, after a long and happy marriage, her husband passed away. She found solace in the lake near her little house in Littleton, where she enjoyed beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Although she never became a professional musician, her love of music remained in her heart throughout her life. J.S. Bach was her greatest love, and she cherished playing his music on both the organ and the piano. She possessed a beautiful, strong and clear voice and continued to sing even after succumbing to dementia.

She was a pure soul who sought truth in everything, at times to the detriment of everything else. Nothing was more important to her than to always be truthful. She was also a sensitive and caring person who inspired immense love in everyone around her, including all her caretakers, until the end of her life. She died peacefully in her sleep on December 19, 2024, after a long battle with dementia. She will be buried next to her husband, Commander Loren H. Kiser, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. She is survived by her children, Mike and Molly Kiser, and her grandchildren, Tamao and Ray Kiser.