JENNIFER LYON

JENNIFER LYON
June 29, 1968 - June 19, 2025
Jennifer Hwei-Ming Lyon (formerly Skillman, née Kok) passed away on June 19, 2025, in Portland, Oregon.
Born on June 29, 1968, in Kuching, Malaysia, she pursued a life of purpose and dedication. Jenny graduated from Wellesley College in 1989 and went on to earn her medical degree from Georgetown Medical School in 1993, where she was elected senior class president. She completed her pediatric residency at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and served as chief resident in her final year.
Jenny's commitment to healing and service left a lasting impact on those she cared for throughout her professional and personal journey. At a young age, she was inspired to pursue medicine by her late father, Daniel Kok, a family physician practicing on the island of Borneo. Jenny was diagnosed with insulin-dependent diabetes in her teens, which further deepened her passion to help others, as she personally understood the patient's perspective.
She became a pediatrician, combining her love of children with the joy of healing. Despite living with several chronic illnesses and undergoing multiple organ transplants, Jenny never tired of researching and seeking the best care to manage her complex medical conditions.
Throughout her life, Jenny held an unwavering faith in God, which she openly shared with those around her. She found strong church communities in every city she called home-from her early years in Palo Alto to the East Coast, San Francisco, and later, New Mexico.
She is remembered by her daughter, Sarah Skillman; mother, Elizabeth Kok; sister, Cindy (Adrian) Hinman, and their children; uncle and aunt, Bob and Cathy Kennedy; her dear friend of 22 years, Jess Sweet; and many other close friends and family members. Their lives were enriched by Jenny's strength, intellect, and grace.
May her memory bring comfort to all who knew her.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local Habitat for Humanity, an organization near and dear to Jenny's heart.