Sueko Aoki Miller

Sueko Aoki Miller, 86, of Mountain Home, Idaho, passed away Tuesday evening, April 3, 2018 surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

Sueko was happily married to Ronald Dean Miller, until his passing on October 13, 2015. Sueko was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend.

She loved spending time with her family and enjoyed travelling with Dean wherever they wanted to go. She always said she was a “flea on the dog.” She cherished vacations and retirement with Dean.

She made sure to take each of her grandchildren to Japan to visit her family and to experience the Japanese culture. Sueko and Dean also lived in Germany and other Air Force towns across the United States.

Sueko was born on Dec. 17, 1931 in Osaka, Japan to Saburo Aoki and Mán Date-Aoki. She was raised in Tokyo during WWII. Late in the war, the United States military was able to reach Tokyo and drop fire bombs on the city.

Sueko and her sister Motoko were moved north to Sendai to live with other family members. Sueko’s mother died in the burning of Tokyo while they were away at Sendai.

When the war was over, Sueko and Motoko returned to Tokyo to be with their father. Because Sueko had learned English from her father, she was able to easily get a job as a cashier at the commissary at Tachikawa Air Force Base. There Sueko met the love of her life, Ronald Dean Miller, and in June of 1954, they were married in Tokyo.

They had two marriage ceremonies, the first was American style at the US Embassy, and the second was Japanese style at the Meiji Shinto Shrine.

Sueko came to the US for the first time in 1955, travelling by ship to San Francisco and sailing in under the Golden Gate Bridge. For the next few years, they were stationed in Washington DC, Niagara Falls, NY and Madison, WI, where Sueko earned her US Citizenship in 1961.

For most of 1961 to 1971 Sueko, Dean and her family lived in Air Base housing at Kanto Mura, Japan. In 1971, Sueko and Dean were assigned to Mountain Home AFB for their final duty station. In 1972, they moved off base and bought their very first house.

Sueko went to work for the State of Idaho, Transportation Department for about 15 years, retiring at the age of 70. While she was working, Dean retired and he would have dinner ready for her just as she had done for him for so many years prior.

Sueko was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 1997. She managed a complex medication schedule almost to the end of her life. Shortly after the diagnosis, Sueko retired and began travelling with Dean and her family as much as possible.

Sueko was married to Ronald Dean Miller for 61 years. They are survived by their daughter Kathleen (Ron) of Orlando, FL; sons Michael (Brenda) and John (Cheryl), both of Boise, ID; grandchildren: Angela, Jenny, Brian, Dean, Laura, Shaun and Kassandra, and great grandchildren: Indy, Xander, Jett, Emily, Zoriah, Araya, Zianna, Jack and Zavier.

Services will be held Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 11 a.m., at Rost Funeral Home, McMurtrey Chapel and burial will follow at Mountain View Cemetery, Mountain Home.

The Miller Family would also like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to The Good Samaritan Society, 3115 Sycamore Drive, Boise, ID. The people at this nursing facility are AMAZING.

Sueko spent her final seven months of life at Good Sam and she had the best care possible in our fantastic city. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation in Sueko’s name to The Good Samaritan Society.