Chieko Elizabeth Deliman

Chieko Elizabeth (Uezato) Deliman passed away on December 31, 2025, at age 94.
She was born on June 25, 1931, in Nakijin, Okinawa, but due to a clerical error that mixed up her and her mother's birthdays, her legal birthday was June 10, 1931. She enjoyed receiving double the presents.
Chieko grew up in Okinawa and graduated from Nago High school in 1948. She then became a teacher at Nakijin Elementary School for 2 years, where she taught kindergarten, 2nd and 3rd grades. In May 1950, she began working as a telephone operator at Kadena Air Base Telephone Exchange, where she worked for 5 1/2 years until transferring to Ryuku RCA in Naha, Okinawa as an overseas telephone operator.
In June 1957, she met her husband and the love of her life, Robert Joseph Deliman, Sr, who was stationed at Kadena Air Base. On January 11, 1959, they were married, and on December 4, 1960, he was transferred back to the U.S. In 1963, Chieko became a U.S. citizen and as a military wife traveled to many places with her husband, who made the Air Force his career for 20 years. After many moves, they came to Alaska on January 3, 1969. They fell in love with the state and made it their permanent home. On January 11, 2025, they celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary.
Chieko was preceded in death by her parents, Jensho and Toshi Uezato, brothers Noboru, Hiroshi, Teruo Uezato, sister Hiroko Yohena, all of Okinawa and son Robert John Deliman, Jr. of Anchorage, AK. She is survived by her husband, Robert Sr. of Wasilla, AK, daughter Mary (John) Cuzzocreo of Wasilla, AK, son Carl (Debbie Jo) Deliman of Middleton, DE, son Stephen Deliman of Anchorage, AK, daughter Deborah (John) of Wasilla, AK and daughter Carol (John) Ayers, also of Wasilla, AK.
She is survived by 10 grandchildren, Jennifer Cuzzocreo of Orange, CT, John Cuzzocreo of Anchorage, AK, Kathleen (Eli) Cuzzocreo-Colon of Seattle, WA, Lauren Deliman of Delaware, Christopher (Stephanie) Deliman of Elkton, MD, Alexander Deliman, Juliana Deliman, Victoria Deliman, Katrina Deliman and Lillianne Deliman, all of Delaware.
She is also survived by 4 great-grandchildren, Landon Tanner of Delaware, Dominic and Sophia Colon of Seattle and Hunter Cuzzocreo of Wasilla, AK.
Also surviving is her sister Keiko Uezato and many nieces and nephews all of Okinawa.
A small funeral service with family and close friends will be at Legacy Funeral Home Wasilla Heritage Chapel on Check Street in Wasilla, AK on Sunday, January 18th, at 2:00 pm.
Burial will be in the spring at Angelus Memorial Park on Klatt Road in Anchorage, AK.