Betty Yoshie Aoki

Her home was on Amauullu Road, which became the setting for many of her stories. It was a tropical environment with plentiful fruit trees, flowers, sugar cane, waterfalls, streams, and, of course, the nearby ocean. She grew up in a family of seven children—four girls (Betty was the youngest girl) and three boys.

Her many stories included witnessing the 1946 tsunami from a high bridge on her way to school, jumping into swimming holes and swimming through underwater tunnels, camping at Kawai Hai where her brother would go spearfishing at night, crabbing, and even going to the snow at Mauna Kea.

After high school, she developed an interest in sewing and attended trade school for it. She eventually worked at a sewing machine store, where she taught customers how to sew. After moving to Oahu for work, she decided to move to the mainland after a woman on the bus invited her to join the adventure.

In Los Angeles, she found a job as a seamstress and model dresser for a designer named “Helga.” It was around this time that she met her future husband, Henry Aoki, through mutual friends.

In 1960, Betty married Henry, and they soon started a family. They had a daughter, Susan, and seven years later, they had a son, John. Betty loved being a mother. While she wasn’t overtly strict, she led by her strong character and sense of right and wrong. She wasn’t overly affectionate, as her strong cultural background shaped her way of showing love, but her dedication and love for her children were clear and undeniable.

In 1970, the family moved to Cerritos, California, where she decided to go back to school to study Child Development. Unable to find a job in education, she accepted a job at Fedco. She absolutely loved working at Fedco and soon became a Department Head.

In 1987, Betty gave her life to the Lord Jesus Christ. She was attending International Pentecostal Church—then known as Apostolic Tabernacle—where she received the gift of the Holy Spirit and was baptized in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.

And when Betty committed to something, she committed fully.

Her faith wasn’t passive. It wasn’t private. And it certainly wasn’t timid. If someone at work shared a prayer request, she didn’t say, “I’ll pray for you later.” That wasn’t her way. She laid hands on them right there—at work—and prayed for them in the name of Jesus. She brought coworkers to church with her. She talked to her family about Jesus every chance she got. She was a quiet woman—but a bold witness.

And her witness bore fruit.

Her sister Alice came to church, received the Holy Spirit, and was baptized in Jesus’ name. Later, her younger brother Harry received the Holy Spirit and was baptized in Jesus’ name as well—right in a hotel pool in Kona, Hawaii. Betty loved Jesus, and she loved people too much to keep that to herself.

Betty eventually retired from Fedco, but retirement didn’t slow her down—it simply shifted her focus. She poured herself into being a grandmother, lovingly caring for and babysitting her grandchildren: Andrew, Christian, Nicholas, and Lauren. That role fit her beautifully.

Throughout her life, Betty exercised at least 3-4 times a week at the gym. She especially enjoyed swimming. Her healthy lifestyle contributed to her long life.

In her later years, as her body grew tired and her strength faded, her world became quieter, but she never stopped going to church – quietly faithful to the very end. And in that quiet, she found joy in watching life begin again—especially in her great-grandbaby, Judah. She loved watching him play, explore, and discover the world with fresh eyes.

Betty lived a full life. Not a loud one. Not a flashy one. But a faithful, steady, meaningful life. And those kinds of lives—quietly lived with integrity—echo longer than we often realize.

A visitation will be held on January 12, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Funeraria Del Angel Bellflower, located at 10333 East Alondra Blvd, Bellflower, CA 90706.

A memorial service to honor Betty's life will take place on January 16, 2026, at 10:00 am at the International Pentecostal Church, 10248 Alondra Blvd., Bellflower, California 90706.

The graveside service will be conducted on January 19, 2026, at 11:00 am at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Blvd., Riverside, California 92518.

Betty Yoshie Aoki's memory will be forever cherished by all who knew and loved her.