Tomiyo Seo

Tomiyo (Tomi) Seo passed away November 28, 2016. Tomi was born September 18, 1922 in Riverside, California, to Hikoroku Yabuta and Ryu Yabuta. She was preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Kenji (Ken) Francis Seo. Surviving Tomi are sister, Mas Yoshimura, of Mission Hills, California; sister, Hisa Kobuki, of Mesquite, Nevada; great-niece, Shannon A. Distler (Dennis), of Lewisville, Texas; sister-in-law Eileen Mie Yoshino, and Godmother, Joanne O’Halloran, of Kansas City, Missouri.

Tomi was second generation Japanese (Nisei) born in America. During WW II, Tomi, her parents, two brothers, and two sisters were forced to spend over two years in internment camps – first in Pomona, California, followed by two years in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. During that time, Tomi worked as a dental assistant where she met and married Ken. At the end of war, Ken’s job brought them to Kansas City. Even with the loss of over two years, Tomi and Ken felt America is the best country in the world and they were proud to be American citizens.

Services for Tomi will be held at Christ the King, 8510 Wornall Road, Kansas City, Missouri, on Monday, December 12, at 1:30pm followed by graveside services at Mt. Moriah Cemetery, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, Missouri. A reception will be held at Kingswood Senior Living, 10000 Wornall Road, from 3:30-4:15pm. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to Kingswood Foundation or a charity of your choice.

Arrangements under the direction of Mt Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, Kansas City, MO.