Obituary of Yeiko Jackie Goya

Born in San Francisco, Jackie Goya lived her early years in Oakland. At 16, she and her 12 year old brother were sent to Okinawa to care for her aging grandmother who spoke only Okinawan. Jackie learned to cope with the language barrier, cook meals over an open fire pit, and draw well water with a bucket. She returned home in 1940 a year before war with Japan; when the war began her family was sent to internment camp in Fresno then moved to the Jerome Arkansas Relocation Center. With the camp minister's help, Jackie secured a job with the Methodist Church Commission of World Peace, and was able to leave camp. In 1946 she married Neal Goya. After a few years in Chicago and Oakland they moved to Hawaii to raise their daughter Patricia and son Bruce. Jackie's full life included careers as a travel agent and a small business owner, and her community work helping to start a woman's association for the United Okinawa Association, establishing a new Methodist church in Waimanalo, and serving as Spiritual Life Chair for the Hawaii District United Methodist Women. Upon retirement she and Neal moved to be with their children in California and help raise their four grandchildren, Marisa, Ako, Thomas and Russell. She continued to participate in the Methodist Church helping to improve access for the disabled, feed the homeless, visit shut-ins, and teach her church to fold and send 1,000 paper cranes to the Hiroshima memorial each year. Jackie is survived by sister, Shizu Aka, her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren Kaleo and Amaya Hayase. A celebration of life service will be held Apr.30, Sat. at 2 PM at Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, 1543 Sunnyvale Ave.