Yasuko Hiruki

With deep sadness and much love, we mourn the peaceful passing of Yasuko Hiruki at the age of 86 on June 3, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia. She will be remembered by her son Tadaaki (Kayoko) and grandson Tadahiro; her daughter Lisa (Nate), grandson Taro, and granddaughter Mika; siblings Hisao (Yoneko), Nobuko (Takashi) and Kimiko (Shigeo) and their children. She was predeceased by her husband of 60 years, Chuji; her brother, Toshio; and parents, Tokio and Yoshie Hijikata.

Yasuko Hiruki was born in Osaka, Japan in 1937. She received her B.A. in English and American Literature from Tokyo Joshi Daigaku and attended the Women’s College at Sydney University in Australia for a program to teach English as a second language.

As a newlywed and new mother, she made the courageous decision to leave Japan to accompany her husband to North America, far away from the support of her extended family, to advance his academic career. After moving to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1966, she pursued many interests while raising her two children. Yasuko was a talented seamstress who loved fashion, creating clothes, and matching colors, in addition to making Barbie clothes and stuffed animals. She was a life-long learner and fostered that love of learning in her children, encouraging them to experience a wide variety of classes, interests, and books.

Yasuko worked at the Edmonton Public Library, then taught Japanese language courses at the University of Alberta from the late 1970s to her retirement in 2002. In addition to teaching introductory Japanese, she mentored students for trips to Japan through the University of Alberta, Lions Club, and JET program and taught adult classes at the Metro Edmonton Japanese Community School.

Yasuko was a skilled Contract Bridge player and remains on the Edmonton Bridge Centre’s Wall of Fame as a Gold Life Master in Contract Bridge. She competed in bridge tournaments across North America for many years as an avid player and learner, studying new strategies and techniques. She also enjoyed golf, playing regularly and improving her game at the Windermere Golf Course.

Yasuko enjoyed Scottish country dancing in her retirement years and had a keen interest in traveling, accompanying her husband to international conferences, taking bus tours in Japan, and going on cruises to see different areas of the world. She loved spending time with her grandchildren, doing puzzles and crafts and going to the pool with them.

She moved to Vancouver in 2022 and enjoyed seeing the flowers around the city in her final years.

A private farewell was held at the family’s request. The family wishes to thank Niko Niko Home Care for their exceptional Japanese-speaking home care and companionship in her final years. We thank the staff at Wild Rose Senior Community in Edmonton, Alberta, and Granville Gardens Retirement Residence in Vancouver, B.C. Thank you also to the doctors and staff who cared for her during her cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Memorial donations may be made in Yasuko Hiruki’s name to BC Cancer (https://bccancerfoundation.com/) or the Alberta Cancer Foundation (https://albertacancer.ca/donate/).