When Alice Miyoko Sasaki Marler McDonald was born to Fukumatsu and Yoi Sasaki in 1935, the world sparkled a little more. The youngest of nine children, she began her life looked after and cherished.
Though events in her life challenged her—being relocated to a Japanese American internment camp during World War II, the murder of her father shortly afterwards, the loss of her mother within a year of the birth of her first child, divorce—she shined on and throughout her life, bedazzled others.
Miyoko lived her life passionately as a singer, Japanese dancer, actress, model, and life coach. In 1957, she starred in the movie Jungle Heat. In the 1970s, she was deeply involved in community theatre and through the 1980s until 2000, she coached Miss America pageant contestants in voice, modeling and life skills.
But most important in her life was her role as wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The fact that she was surrounded by all of her children and most of her grandchildren as we said goodbye speaks volumes about how loved she was.
Miyoko is survived by her husband of 36 years, Thomas E. McDonald; her six children, Janice (Hansen) Morrill of Dallas, TX, Cynthia Rei Miyoko Marler (and husband, Hayden Wills) of Mumbai, India, Douglas (and wife, Miyuki) McDonald of Tulsa, OK, Kimberly Sumiko Marler (and fiancé, Paul Stevenson) of Dallas, TX, Tamara (Marler) (and husband, Danny Elliott) of Tulsa, OK, and Chuck Marler of Tulsa, OK; her 13 grandchildren, Andrea and Adam Hansen, Devin, Travis and Michelle McDonald, Timothy Humphries and Macullen Nadurak, Kymberli, Grant and Cole Heckenkemper, Chaz, Shane and Channing Marler; and her two great-grandchildren, Tommy Hansen and Aria McDonald. Miyoko is also survived by two brothers, Yasuo Sasaki and Fumio Sasaki, as well as many nieces and nephews. Though our loss today feels like the sparkle has left our world, we know it hasn't. For we see it in all of the lives she touched, in her smile she passed down to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and in all the wonderful things she taught us.
Now, with all of her pain gone, we believe she's singing and dancing once again, all the while watching over those she loved. And, she left this world as she entered it—looked after and cherished.
A public visitation has been scheduled for Thursday, February 19, 2015 at Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Private funeral services will be held for the family.

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