Kikuko Furuya Hirose

Kikuko Hirose, loving and devoted wife, mother, and grandmother, who was also known to many of her numerous friends by translation of her name, Chrysanthemum, passed away Thursday, September 6th, 2012 at age 88, young and vital until her valiant struggle of the last month.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gempei and Koshiye Furuya, brother and sisters, George Furuya, Mary Ito and Toshiye Hata, husband, Akira Hirose, and most tragically children Ichiro Hirose and Eri Hirose.

She is survived by brother, Hisao Miyashita of Japan, daughter, Yoko Hirose MD, and son-in-law, David Hyman MD of Houston, daughter, Mari Graves, and son-in-law, Clarence Graves of Kentucky, and grandchildren Daniel Akira Hyman, Charles Hirose Hyman, Mika Rebecca Hyman, Ashley Eri Blake and Erica Graves.

Kikuko’s friendship and love has touched many around the world. She was born on October 15, 1923 in her familial home in Yamanashi-ken, Japan, a beautiful region of orchards at base of Mt. Fuji. As young child she moved to Portland, Oregon, returning to Japan after her father’s death during the Great Depression. She attended college and taught in Japan, not common for women at that time. She met her husband Akira, and married in 1949. They were lovingly married for 55 years until his death in 2004.

After their marriage they moved to Tokyo. Akira worked for the Japanese External Trade Relations Organization (JETRO) and Kikuko raised their family while his important business took them around the world. The whole family spent a few years in Mexico City in the early 1960s; they briefly returned to Japan before moving to New York in 1965. From New York, Akira and family came to Houston to open the JETRO trade center in 1969. Once the center was established after a few years, the standard practice would have been for them to be transferred back to Japan before being posted somewhere else in the world. Kikuko and Akira made a radical decision to leave the organization to stay in Houston so the younger children could continue their education in the United States. Akira moved to a position as Advisor to the Consul General of Japan in Houston,. Kikuko guided many international visitors while continuing to raise the family. She has since been a blessing to all she has known in Houston.

Kikuko was a talented painter, calligrapher, seamstress and gardener. She relished in helping care for her grandchildren.

Kikuko was a dedicated caretaker during the long illnesses of her husband and then her daughter.

In recent years, she has demonstrated remarkable vibrancy. Despite surviving a coronary artery bypass 20 years ago and the tragedies of the deaths of two children and her husband, she was lively and independent. She had a wide circle of friends, went to the gym 5 days a week, gardened extensively, and kept her house immaculate. Her bright red hat and even brighter smile were an inspiration to many.

She was undeterrable She bounced back from a cardiac arrest and stent in February to return to full activity. She attended the graduation of her grandson at Brown University in Rhode Island this May, walking up and down hill, charming all she met. In early August of this year she experienced a few days of severe shortness of breath and was hospitalized. She had developed a rapidly progressing pulmonary interstitial disease that worsened over a month of hospitalization. She was in full possession of her faculties and fought valiantly until her last day of life. When it was clear that the outcome was inevitable, she expired peacefully surrounded by family and friends. She was gracious and appreciative of the dedicated staff and physicians at St. Luke's Hospital and would like to thank them for their efforts.

She will always be loved and remembered.

The memorial service will be held Saturday, September 15th at 10 AM at Waltrip Funeral Home Chapel, 1415 Campbell Road, Houston, TX with internment to follow at Memorial Oaks Cemetery 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston TX.