Sumiko was born and raised in Tokyo, Japan and came to the United States shortly after World War II with her first husband, Joe Ben Whitson to raise their three children, Susan, Marguerite and Michael.
With her artistic talents she became a floral designer with Lehrer’s Flowers and Nading’s Flowerland until retirement when she expanded her creative art abilities to include oil painting and ceramics.
She dazzled generations of friends and family with the elegant art of origami from her homeland and also enjoyed golfing and traveling much of the world with John Byerly, her husband of 25 years.
She peacefully entered tranquility on April 20, 2018 with her daughters by her side. She was predeceased by her husband, John Byerly; beloved son, Michael; granddaughter, Emily Hisle; parents Shinji (Frank) Okubo and Motoko Kanazawa Okubo; and sister Yasuyo Kanazawa. She will be dearly missed by her surviving daughters, Susan (Tom) Curry and Marguerite Friedlander; daughter-in-law, Sandra Morris; granddaughter Keri Sumiko Scholz; and great grandchildren; Emily Fallon, Grady and Michael Scholz.
Services will be held at Olinger Highland Chapel on May 12th at 1:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, consider honoring her love of dogs with donations to ASPCA.org or a charity of your choosing.
Fond memories of Sue and expressions of sympathy for her family may be shared at the guest book below.
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