Mika Hirai Pan

Mika was born on March 4, 1970 to Osamu and Yasuyo Hirai in Tokyo, Japan. She grew up with her sister, Mayumi and many friends in the Setagayaku neighborhood. Mika graduated from Shukutoku College and received her bachelor degree in Psychology with Business Administration as a minor from the University of Texas at Austin in 2002. Mika and Feng married on November 18, 1999, and they have two daughters, Sophie Aina and Katie Mana, and Hana, a Rhodesian Ridgeback.

Mika, from Japan, and Feng, from China, met in Madison, Wisconsin in 1993. They have been together ever since. Between 1994 and 1996, she had to leave for Japan. As they promised to each other, they reunited in the 1996 summer in Austin, Texas. She pursued her interest in psychology and business administration and attended the University of Texas at Austin with her own saving. After graduating, Mika and Feng moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico where she gave birth to Sophie and Katie. Mika and her family moved to Washington in 2014. In October 2017, Mika was diagnosed with a rare cancer after her vacation in Japan earlier that summer. The family moved to Sugar Land Texas in January 2018 to continue her cancer treatment.

Mika lived her life to the fullest. She was passionate about traveling. Her family took many road trips and explored many trails and small towns in the northern New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon coastline, Washington and California. Besides Tokyo, Mika’s favorite place was Hawaii where she loved the tropical sceneries and the people. She often spent a few weeks there, walking on the beaches, swimming in the ocean, hiking in the forests, and listening to the locals telling the stories of their lives and singing. Mika lived an active life. Her favorite activities were Zumba, aerobics, swimming, hiking, dancing, and singing. At home, Mika loved spending time in her kitchen and crafting delicious and beautiful meals for her family and friends. She and her daughters enjoyed baking together and filled the kitchen with laughter, love, joy, and the aroma of freshly baked goods.

Mika was proud of her Japanese heritage. She was active in local Japanese community and supported many activities. She taught Japanese in Los Alamos and presented Japanese cuisine and garment in many events. Mika also loved and was fascinated by other cultures. She was a member of the Girls-Rock, a group of international ladies in Los Alamos, who shared music, art, culinary skills, and child education from their native countries. In Houston, Mika became interested in Christianity and participated in bible studies.

Mika was a strong fighter with determination. Throughout her cancer treatment, she had numerous rounds of different chemotherapies, radiation therapies, and two major surgeries. She had to undergo a HIPEC surgery, also called Mother of All Surgeries. Her surgeon, who pioneered this procedure, appraised her strength and determination to endure the full course of the surgical procedure. Mika’s fight with cancer was strengthened by her love for her family and desire to live.

Mika was a dedicated mother first and foremost. To her children, Mika was the best mom who was always there for them, nurturing them, encouraging them, giggling with them, and embracing their achievements and their failures. She cheered for them at their swim meets, prepared bento lunch throughout their school years, danced with them to Just Dance videos, and cuddled with them to watch movies. To her husband, Mika was the best wife who constantly provided love, comfort and support. She presented him a world of beauty, compassion and positivity and a world worth to live in and fight for. To her friends, Mika was a genuine friend whom they can talk to, rely on and laugh with, and her friends know how much Mika loved to chat in local cafes.

Her husband Feng, daughters Sophie and Katie, and sister Mayumi and brother-in-law Masaya survive Mika. Mika will be sorely missed. Her family and friends will forever treasure their time spent with Mika and keep her in their hearts.