Hiroko Parkhurst, 86, of Ethete, passed away, Sept. 9 at her home following a lengthy illness. Visitation for Heko will be 9:00 am, Monday, September 16, 2019, in the Living Waters Fellowship Church, 150 Baldwin Creek Dr, Lander, WY 82520. The Funeral will follow at 10 am.
Heko was born Oct. 22, 1932, to Kazutomi and Sasako Takekawa in Yokosuka, Japan. Her father worked at the Naval base in Yokosuka. During World War II, her parents sent Heko and her sisters to live with their grandparents in the mountains of Japan for safety.
In July 1961, Heko met Navy sailor Ray Parkhurst in Yokosuka. They were married two weeks later on July 19, 1961. They lived in Japan for six months following their marriage until Heko received permission to enter the United States. The couple then settled in Ethete. Heko was taught to speak English in Japan but took a reading course at the library in Lander. She became a naturalized citizen of the United States in 1990.
Heko loved children and babysat in her home for many years. Later on, she worked as a cook for Wyoming Indian and retired in the mid-1990s.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and two sisters, Yaeko and Reiko, all of Japan.
She is survived by her husband; sons, Bryan Parkhurst and wife Cindy of Ethete, and David Parkhurst and wife Anya of Smyrna, Ga.; sisters, Takako, Yoshiko, Keiko and Tsuneko, all of Japan; grandchildren, Tyler Parkhurst of Eudora, Ks., Danielle Parkhurst of Houston, Texas, Rylee Parkhurst of Ethete, and Alexandra Parkhurst of Smyrna, Ga.; and great-grandchildren, Leila and Walker Parkhurst of Eudora, Ks.
Funeral services are scheduled at Living Waters Fellowship in Lander, Monday, Sept. 16 at 10 a.m. A graveside service will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery in Lander.
Pallbearers are David Parkhurst, Bryan Parkhurst, Tyler Parkhurst, Tom Reed, Ed Leonardi, Jim Bell, Mark Hickerson, and Paul Morrison.
Honorary pallbearers are Tami Reed, Danielle Parkhurst, Rylee Parkhurst, Alexandra Parkhurst, Leila Parkhurst, and Walker Parkhurst.
Please sign the online guestbook: www.HudsonsFuneralHome.com