Kyoko Tanaka

Boise, ID - Kyoko Tanaka, age 78, formerly of Twin Falls, passed away peacefully on April 24, 2023, from complications of Parkinson's disease. She was surrounded by loved ones at her daughter's home in Boise.

Kyoko was born in Hiroshima, Japan, on January 18, 1945, to Keijiro and Chiyo Kawamoto. She found joy in her childhood by swimming in the ocean, she loved listening to jazz music as a young adult, and she eventually attended sewing school in Japan.

In 1970 she was introduced to Clarence Tanaka while visiting from Japan. Their first date, fishing at the Richfield Canal, led to marriage on September 20, 1970. After settling in Clarence's hometown of Shoshone, Idaho, they welcomed their first two daughters. In 1975, they moved to Twin Falls where their third daughter was born. Kyoko enjoyed being a stay-at-home mom, then later, she worked as an alterationist with Mr. A's Dry Cleaner and The Paris, and eventually provided alterations from home.

She and Clarence found great joy in spending years watching their daughters and their friends compete in fiddling competitions, attending the annual Sun Valley Jazz Festival, listening to Jazz in the Canyon, fishing, and watching Mariners baseball games together.

She enjoyed hot spring soaking, gardening, sewing, cooking, floral arranging, keeping a tidy home, and watching Japanese television. After moving to Boise in 2007, she discovered new hobbies while taking pottery and watercolor painting classes at the Fort Boise Community Center.

She was always cooking and welcoming guests. She was selfless in so many ways and always cared about the well-being of others. She especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and family.

Kyoko was preceded in death by her parents, husband Clarence Tanaka, sister Yoshie Nordling, and three brothers, Kaoru, Masaki, and Shozo Kawamoto. Kyoko is survived by daughters Lana Shuff (Tom), Tamara Byrne, and Gayla Bollinger (Brent Sasaki), and five grandchildren (Kira, Akira, Adrianna, Ruby, and John).

Kyoko will be laid to rest next to her husband Clarence at the Shoshone Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Oldtime Fiddlers' Contest and Festival or the Parkinson's Foundation.