Yoko Margaret Hassing

Yoko Margaret Hassing was born on October 20, 1940, to the late Anshu and Gozei (Teruya) Nakahara in Kiyozuka, Urasoe, Okinawa, Japan. After high school graduation, Yoko attended Yamano College of Aesthetics in Tokyo, Japan, then returned to Okinawa to begin her career as a beautician.

In 1967, Yoko married Richard Hassing, who was in the U.S. Air Force and stationed in Okinawa. In 1969, Yoko, her husband, and their two children moved from Okinawa to Wright-Patterson AFB in Ohio. In 1970, Yoko and her family moved to Bangkok, Thailand, where Richard was stationed until 1973. After a brief return to Wright-Patterson, the family moved to MCAS Iwakuni in Japan in 1974 and made another move in 1979 to Yokota Air Base in Japan. In 1983, the family moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where Richard was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison.

Yoko kept very busy in Indianapolis as a hairdresser, mother, grandmother, friend and as a member of Minyo Club of Indianapolis Japanese Folk Dancing and Indiana Okinawa Kenjinkai.

Friends and family remember Yoko as loving, generous, kind, thoughtful, hard-working, and very funny. She loved to laugh and loved to make others laugh.

Yoko is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Richard Hassing, her parents, two sisters, and a brother. She is survived by her brother in Okinawa, daughter Amy (David) Pankoke, Indianapolis, Indiana, son Andy Hassing, Indianapolis, Indiana, grandchildren, Alex Pankoke, Madison, Indiana and Maleah Pankoke, Indianapolis, Indiana. Yoko is also survived by many cousins, nieces, nephews, and her cat, Kumo.