Nov. 4, 1925 - July 15, 2019
Sayoko Okomoto Hilyer was laid to rest beside her husband of 60 years in a private ceremony at Garden Hills Cemetery on July 16, 2019. The Reverend Tom Grantham officiated.
Sayoko attended Purpose Baptist Church for several years before her declining health made it difficult for her to travel.
Our Aunt Sayoko was born in Hiroshima, Japan. As a young woman she experienced the hardships and privations of World War II from the Japanese perspective. Not only was she a war survivor, on August 6, 1945 she was a survivor of the first atomic bomb ever used in war. She and her family were about 12 miles away when the atomic bomb was detonated about 300 feet above the surface. She often recounted coming out of the bunker and seeing the mushroom cloud, “just like on TV”.
After the war, Sayoko said the occupational forces were good to the Japanese people, but strict. Much of the Western food that the American occupational forces supplied was not palatable to the Japanese people. However, times were extremely hard, and any food was better than no food.
Sayoko met Kenneth Whitfield Hilyer in 1953 while he was stationed at a United States Army base near Tokyo, Japan. They were married by Vice Consul William R. Jochimsen on November 18, 1955.
Sayoko left her home, her family, and her culture. She came to the United States with her career-Army husband. During her years as an Army-wife she kept a comfortable home, in Columbus, Georgia.
During these early years in the United States Sayoko studied to become a legal naturalized citizen. On March 3, 1965 she became a citizen of the United States.
During the two deployments her husband made to Vietnam she was able to meet him in Japan on his R & R and together they were able to visit with her family.
After his retirement from the Army, Kenneth became a long haul truck driver for Tom’s Peanut Company in Columbus. Often he would be gone for 3 or 4 days at a time. Sayoko continued as a homemaker, and enjoyed working in their yard.
Sayoko’s friend and neighbor, Phyllis Yulo is also Japanese. They enjoyed visiting and talking in their native language. Mrs. Yulo’s daughter, Rosemarie was a frequent visitor at Kenneth and Sayoko’s. Rose would often spend the night with Sayoko while Kenneth was on the road.
Phyllis Yulo and Rosemarie Yulo Cox have remained steadfast friends throughout the years. They have visited often, given help and encouragement, taken her out to eat, and been as close as family.
In July of 1974, Kenneth and Sayoko attended the parachute jump school graduation of nephew, Thomas H. Hilyer. Together they pinned his Silver Jump Wings on. This event has been mentioned many times since, and has always evoked pride that an uncle and aunt would make the effort to come to Fort Benning on a hot July afternoon and take part in this special occasion.
Sayoko has two nieces and two nephews that live in Fayette, Alabama. Debra Hilyer, Gloria McDaniel, James Hilyer and Jeff Hilyer have been faithful to stay in touch. Often they have made the long trip from Fayette to visit Sayoko, take her out to eat, and most of all let her know they cared about her. Gloria’s two children, Adam and Ashley, also come often.
Sayoko has one special nephew in Hiroshima, Japan, Kazunori Ueda. When he was a young man he visited with Kenneth and Sayoko for a month. It was always fun to hear Kenneth and Sayoko talk about the visit. They were amazed at the amount of food Kazunori could put away.
Sayoko was the oldest of seven children, three sisters and three brothers. She was predeceased by one brother and her husband Kenneth.
A special sister-in-law, Mariko Okamoto, the widow of her brother lives in Hiroshima, Japan.
In November 2018 Sayoko had a stroke and fell in the beauty shop at Monarch Estates. The staff at Monarch was gracious, caring, got her to the hospital, and checked on her until her nephew Thomas Hilyer and his wife Barbara were able to return from an out-of-town trip. Since that time she has had caregivers stay with her. Her niece, Barbara Hilyer, stayed with her often to give the caregivers’ time off.
Throughout the period of her declining health caregivers Barbara Whatley, Myca Sanders, Temeka Carr, Thera Brooks and Carmen Bass have cared for Sayoko with the utmost love and compassion. They have gone the extra mile to keep her comfortable, and let her know she was loved.
Sayoko missed her family in Japan. When she married Kenneth, and came to the United States she unconditionally became a member of the Hilyer family. She will be missed by the nieces and nephews who cared.
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