Kyoko Nito Johnson's Obituary
Kyoko Nito Johnson (仁藤京子) , 64, born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan (川崎市神奈川県) on March 8, 1954, passed away on May 25, 2018, in Orem, Utah. Also known as 仁藤姉妹 and ジョンソン姉妹 she was a beloved friend and aid to the many who knew her.
Kyoko was the mother of three children: Kristin E. Johnson, Kristofor A. J. Johnson, and Andrew C. Y. Johnson. She was preceded in death by her parents and one sister.
Throughout her life, Kyoko pursued a wide range of interests. She had a passion for photography, frequently taking multiple photos of the same subject and collecting them in both digital and print form. As a TV production hobbyist and licensed HAM radio operator, she embraced technology with enthusiasm and avid curiosity. She enjoyed reading original manga from her youth, a joy she shared with her daughter. Although her first language was Japanese, she was also fluent in English and before her death was also studying American Sign Language, Portuguese, Spanish, and Korean.
Kyoko also enjoyed train watching and travelling. She volunteered frequently with LDS missionaries in Japan, in particular Tokyo Dendo South, and in Utah, helping with translation, administrative skills, travel logistics, and teaching both English and Japanese. While in Utah she was frequently approached by appreciative return missionaries who were happy to see her and shared their memories of the light, positivity, and practical help she brought to their missions. She was also a regular, loved, and much appreciated volunteer at Brigham Young University's Education Week.
She had a lifelong interest in and affinity for astronomy. When her children were younger she would bring them out on mild evenings to look for the stars and planets through her treasured Luxen Astronomical Telescope.
She also enjoyed watching crime dramas in both Japanese and English: Leverage, NCIS, 古畑 任三郎, Death in Paradise, 相棒, Murder, She Wrote, shows featuring Takuya Kimura, and the long running drama 3年B組金八先生 were particular favorites.
Those who knew Kyoko will remember her tenacity, humor, ferocity, kindness and underlying sadness—a quality that defined much of her journey through life.
May Kyoko’s memory bring comfort to all who loved her and inspire them to cherish the passions and connections that make life meaningful.
-This is her daughter writing. It has been almost six years since she passed, and I still do not know what to say. She wanted to live. She did not want to go. She did not want to go. She tried so hard to stay, but in the end she had no choice but to go. I love and miss her very much. Goodbye, Mama. I hope you are finally getting to travel the stars.
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