Yoshiko Nohara Kilgore

She was born on January 8, 1933, in Osaka, Japan. During WWII, she survived two atomic bombings, and shared in all the attending difficulties she experienced along with her fellow countrymen during this turbulent time.

Yoshiko was a circuit board operator in the early sixties and met Mervin Kilgore while at a Ramen shop with one of her girlfriends. Yoshiko worried she and her friend didn’t have enough money to pay for the food and Mervin stepped in to offer to pay for them and the rest is history!

She arrived to the US in 1965 with no more than a small piece of luggage and moved in with her in-laws in Portland Maine while Mervin was on deployment in the South Pacific near Vietnam.

After their son John was born, subsequently the family moved to Rhode Island, Florida, Bermuda and finally back to Maine where Mervin finished his stellar career with the US Navy in 1988.

Yoshiko was a good mother and generous to a fault. She retired as a seamstress. She was a dedicated Nichiren Buddhist, loved her pets, knitting and was still cooking up until her last days. Her rice was always perfect; John is still striving for that perfection.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to all Hospice workers, especially Joey-Lynne and to Jordan for their loving care and warm presence.

In lieu of flowers, you can make donations in her name to Mid Coast Animal Shelter, 5 Industrial Parkway, Brunswick, ME 04011. Yoshiko loved going there to see the cats and threaten John about adopting 1 or 2... or 3....or 4.

Keep Yoshiko in your prayers, light a candle, burn some incense and adopt a shelter pet.

She is survived by her son John Kilgore, daughter in-law Toby Kilgore, sister in-law Nancy Berges, and doggies Sheila and Dixie, Yoshiko will now continue her journey with her predeceased husband Mervin R Kilgore Jr, retired Navy Master Chief.

Visiting hours will be held from 4-6 pm on June 9, 2023, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland, where a Buddhist Ceremony will follow at 6 pm with Chaplain Alley Smith.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Yoshiko’s online guest book.