Chiyo S York

Chiyo was born in the village of Shiraho on Ishigaki Island, Okinawa (Japan) October 10, 1932,

the youngest child of Kama and Nahima Gusukuma. She grew up as the “Baby Girl” in a large &

successful family. She had three older sisters (Toki, Kiyoko and Kiyo) & an older brother, Kiyoshi.

She excelled in school and was known to be a very talented singer.

She fell in love with a persistent U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant stationed in Okinawa, Ron York.

On January 27, 1962 they were married. She moved away from her family in Okinawa and began

her new life as a military wife in San Diego, California. She also became the mother of his four

year old son named Bart. She was a loving mother and she raised him as her son.

Chiyo became “Jeannie” and she began work as a seamstress, sewing stripes on uniforms and

making alterations. She would go on to sew everything from wedding dresses & school clothes to

draperies & upholstery. Times were tough but life was good and got better. The Marine Corps

moved the family from San Diego to Florida where the York family was originally from. They

bought a nice waterfront home in Tampa Shores near Oldsmar and settled into a great life.

She had a good career in Tampa including many years at Stanley Chair Co. and retired.

She loved all her pets over the years and they loved her. She was an avid gardener and never met

a plant she didn’t want to buy. To call her an amazing cook is an understatement (she could cook

anything & made huge quantities so people could take some home) She knew how to throw a party.

She was a pretty good bowler. She was an exceptional fisherman who earned the nickname

“Grouper” for her skills and always outfished the men. She once drove her own car but the roads

scared her. She loved to go play Bingo games with her girlfriends every week. She was a winner

and lucky too. She and her husband enjoyed tailgate parties at the Buc games for years & traveled

in their RV on road trips and family visits throughout the South. She was involved for many years

with and was a Charter Member of Town & Country American Legion Post 152 Women’s Auxiliary,

where Ron York was a Past Post Commander. Sadly, after 33 years of marriage her husband and

the love of her life, Ron York passed away in 1995 at the age of 59.

With a lot of help from family and friends she made the difficult adjustment to life without her

husband. She was able to enjoy a quiet life of retirement for years in her home with her pets and

she shared activities with her long-time friends and visits from her grand-children.

She met her loving companion of the past 21 years, George T. Pinner and she enjoyed sharing a

home and her senior years with him. George’s family, daughters Debbie Pinner & Sandy Rhodes

Riley, son Chip Pinner & his wife Roxanne were a caring, kind & loving second family for her in

those later years. Jeannie York was a member of the Tampa Bay Community Church and had many

good friends there. She was known for the floral decorations she made for Church.

Jeannie was preceded in death by her beloved husband Barton Randall (Ron) York.

She is survived by her son Barton Randall York Jr. , Daughter-in-Law Tracey York, Grandson Bryan

Joseph York, Granddaughter Kathryn Mary York, Great Granddaughter Mila Evelyn Shelton.

She was preceded in death by her Father Gusukuma Kama, Mother Gusukuma Nahima.

and her three sisters Toki, Kiyoko and Kiyo.

She is survived by her only brother, Kiyoshi, who is 100 and many relatives in Okinawa and Japan

including her favorite great-niece Miho Matayoshi. Her relatives pray for her peace in heaven.

Burial will be at Florida National Cemetery, 6502 SW 102nd Ave., Bushnell, FL on Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023 at 11am.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday March 12, 2023, American Legion Town & Country

Memorial Post 152 - 11211 Sheldon Rd., Citrus Park, FL

(Need more information or would like to help celebrate the life of Jeannie York or perhaps make a

covered dish please call Bart York at (352) 371-4500 or contact Donna at Post 152 or Post 152

Ladies Auxiliary)