Mildred N. Miya

Mildred N. Miya ROY - Mildred Miya, wife of the late Buster Miya of Roy, died peacefully at her home after a valiant battle against cancer on Friday, August 27, 2010. She was an Emeritus Professor of English at Weber State University. Mildred was born to Asakichi and Toki Yoshinaga on July 10, 1934, in Florin, California. During World War II, she was interned in a concentration camp for four years, 1942-1946. In 1946, she was released and relocated with her family to Brigham City, where she received her early elementary education. She then moved back to her home state of California until her high school graduation in 1951, when she earned honors as valedictorian of Elk Grove High School. She married Buster Miya on December 9, 1951 and lived happily all of her adult life in Roy, UT. They had two beautiful daughters who married wonderful husbands. Mildred cherished her six grandchildren and her three great grandchildren. She was an outstanding scholar throughout her life. She graduated with a Bachelors degree in 1966 with highest honors, maintaining a 4.0 grade point average at Weber State College. She received her Masters of Arts degree, again with highest honors, from Utah State University in 1971, and a Ph.D. degree in English, with a rating of outstanding, from the University of Utah in 1975. She worked continuously to expand her knowledge and in 1992 completed a second Ph.D. emphasis in Classical civilization and literature. Mildred was a highly respected professor who had touched the lives of thousands of students with her engaging personality and intelligence. She was widely published in her areas of expertise: American ethnic literature and Greek mythology. She is survived by two daughters and their spouses, Jan (Dave) Hoch, Roy; Suzi (Kevin) Jensen, Layton; six grandchildren, Jamie (Tim) Ellis, West Haven; Tracee (Brad) Withers, Delta; Haylee Hoch, Roy, and Kolten Buster (Kathleen) Jensen, South Weber; Jasey Jensen, Bo Jensen, both from Layton, and three great-grandchildren, Bronx David Withers, Miya Paige Ellis and Kloie B. Marie Jensen. She is also survived by one sister, Lois Nakashima, Sacramento, CA. She is also survived by the following nephews and nieces: nephews: Tom (Susan) Nakashima and Robert Nakashima, Sacramento, CA,; Norman (Elsie) Inouye, La Canada, CA,; Rolen (Dawn) Yoshinaga, Salt Lake City: Loren (Lorrie) Yoshinaga, Littleton, CO.; nieces: Akie (Max) Hirabayashi, Layton; Dr. Linda Oda, Ogden: Chizuru Keyes, San Francisco, CA.; and Rae (Steven) Louie, Salt Lake City. She is also survived by many loving relatives on the Miya side of her extended family: Masami and Kyoko Miya, Roy, and their children; George and Miyoko Shibata, Walnut, CA., and their children, and the children of the late Daiichi and Sumiye Yoshimura, Roy, UT. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her brother, and five sisters. We would like to thank the IHC Hospice care team, At Home Personal Care services, Marija Mitrovic, Julie Burchell, Dr. Stevenson, Dr. Jordan, Dr. Johnson, and Dr. Wood. We would also like to thank Enrique Santos for his loyal service to our mom and for maintaining Miya Produce since 1997. Funeral services will be held Thursday, September 2 at 11 a.m. at the Buddhist Church of Ogden, 155 North Street, with the Rev. Jerry Hirano officiating. Family will meet with friends at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd., on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday at the Church from 10 to 11 a.m. Interment, Ogden City Cemetery. Send condolences to the family at: www.lindquistmortuary.com