Lily Kobayashi Landress, age 98, passed away peacefully on Saturday morning, January 23, 2021, in Houston. She was born on the family farm in Webster, Texas, on April 4, 1922. The story was that she was named Lily (Yuri in Japanese), because she was born close to Easter and the blooming of spring lilies.
She attended Texas State College for Women (now Texas Woman’s University) until World War II began, when she returned home to work on the farm. She was married to Bennie Landress for almost 30 years, living first in Houston and later in Clear Lake City.
Lily went to the Hermann Hospital School of Nursing in Houston, where she received her L.V.N. degree. For 20 years, she cared for many hospital patients in Houston, and after she retired, she devotedly cared for her husband for more than 10 years after his major stroke, until his death in 1984.
She loved growing a variety of vegetables and flowers, and she was very good at it, energetically continuing until she was in her mid-90s. Music was another lifelong interest, especially the Houston Grand Opera. She also enjoyed travel, including multiple opera tours to Europe when she was in her 70s. She was a lively, feisty person, and as she said herself, she “enjoyed a full life."
In addition to her husband Bennie, Lily was preceded in death by her parents Mitsutaro and Moto Kobayashi, her brothers Tokuye, Ty, and Riki Kobayashi, and her sister Hope Kobayashi. She will be buried with them, next to Bennie, in the Kobayashi family plot at Forest Park East Cemetery in Webster. She is survived by her sister Mitsu Iwata of Nagoya, Japan, her brother Herbert Kobayashi of Webster, Texas, 10 nephews and nieces, and numerous great-nephews and great-nieces. The family would especially like to thank Yvonne Hill for her tireless dedication to Lily’s care during her final few years and especially during her final days.
There will be no service because of the COVID-19 pandemic. If you would like to share memories of Lily or words of condolence, you can post them below. You can also see photos of Lily below in the “Memories: From the Family” section.
In lieu of flowers, if you would like to make a donation in memory of Lily, please consider donating to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, https://www.wildflower.org/donate, or to a charity of your choice.
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