Mieko Masuyama Dickerson, 93, born on August 16, 1930 in Toyama, Japan, a coastal city located on the Sea of Japan west of Tokyo, went to be with our Lord in Heaven on Saturday, December 9th, 2023 from her home in Fresno, CA.

She is preceded in death by her husband of 36 years, Robert A. Dickerson, USN Ret., and survived by her three sons, Donald Lee, Ronald Wayne (and wife Runy), and Jerry Allen (and wife Leah), and two grandchildren, Elowyn Kaori (and husband William) and Genevieve Yuriko. Also, many beloved relatives also live in Tucson, AZ and Toyama, Japan.

Mieko was the sixth of seven children of Takegiro and Sotoe Masuyama. Her last living and closest sibling, Teruko Masuyama Sharpe, passed away three years ago in Tucson, AZ. After World War II, Mieko moved to Tokyo, Japan where she worked as a waitress. There she met Robert A. Dickerson who was stationed at the time on a US Navy Destroyer out of Yokosuka Naval Base. They were married in 1960. In October 1962 they were blessed with twin boys, Donald and Ronald born minutes apart. Robert then changed duty stations to Portsmouth, Virginia in early 1964. There they were blessed with a third son in March 1966. Shortly after that, Robert was re-assigned to Long Beach Naval Station where he served onboard an Amphibious Transport that carried over Marines to Vietnam. The next duty station moved Robert, Mieko, and their three sons to San Francisco Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard from 1969-1972.

In the Summer of 1972, Robert was reassigned to his last duty station while in the Navy in Fresno, California where he served as a Navy Recruiter. This is where Robert and Mieko would remain for the balance of their lives. Robert retired from the US Navy honorably in 1977 a[er 22 years of Naval service. On August 14th of that same year, along with one of her sons, Mieko accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior. Upon coming to Fresno, Mieko resumed working as a waitress in various Fresno-based Japanese restaurants to include Tokyo Gardens, Kame, Akanami, and Furusato. She became very well known in the Japanese community through the many connections she made as a waitress, including and most notably, her best friend Hiroko Loughmiller who owned Furusato. She retired in 1985 while continuing to enjoy her hobbies in gardening, singing, and shopping. Their three sons attended school in Fresno and graduated from Bullard High School. Jerry was appointed to and graduated from the US Naval Academy in Annapolis.

When her husband, Robert, died in July 1996 from a heart attack, Mieko grew to be comfortable being an independent widow with the help of her three sons and other close friends like Hiroko as well as her church and singing group friends. Mieko joined a group of Shigin singers, a traditional Japanese style of music that she became very accomplished at, rising to nearly the top of such singers in California. In May 2012, Mieko was baptized by Pastor Hajimu Fujii at the Japanese Chapel and hosted at the Fresno North Mennonite church which she attended for several years.

In October 2017, Mieko suffered from a mild stroke and recovered. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, she was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 90. Her three sons, with assistance from others, began providing her care in her home that evolved to 24/7 care as her condition worsened. Through the dedication of her three sons, who each had promised their father, Mieko's husband, they would support, she was able to remain in her home until she succumbed to advanced dementia on December 9, 2023.

Funeral Service Visitation (no service) will be available from 5-7pm on Monday, December 18th and from 10am-1pm on Tuesday, December 19th at the Farewell Funeral Service home (Palm Bluffs) located at 660 W. Locust Ave. in Fresno.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 10am-1pm on Saturday, January 13th at Clovis Hills Community Church - North Campus located at 10590 N Willow Ave in Clovis, CA in "The Venue" auditorium with a Lunch/Reception immediately following in the adjoining Junior High Room