Tom & Sachiko Miyata

Sachiko Rose Miyata, affectionately known as "Sachi", passed away peacefully on April 26, 2024 in Lake Havasu Arizona with her sister Sets and children Wayne, John, Cindy and Kimi by her side. Tom Tetsuo Miyata passed away in Ewa Beach Hawaii on August 21, 2021 at a ripe age of 99 years. Both born in California as second generation Japanese Americans they persevered through the depression years with their large respective families. Tom’s family ran a farm in Hawthorne and mom’s family ran a restaurant in Sacramento. When World War II broke out all the Japanese Americans were placed in internment camps and their lives turned upside down. They lived in isolated areas like Tule Lake Wyoming, Jerome Arkansas and Heart Mountain California. Because of the strong family bonds and never give up spirit, they traversed through the challenging times of internment and built their new lives in Chicago where they said the last trains out of camps were destined to. In Chicago Sachi met bad boy Tom who had to wait several years before mom’s parents would check him out and approve knowing their daughter would be in good hands with a solid young man.

Their young years that were spent on the south side Kenwood area where most of the Japanese Americans settled was their happy years as young singles. Annual picnics and holiday dinners with close family friends like the Tani’s and Nakamura’s was the tradition for many years. While Tom worked as a taxi cab driver he and his brother Mas and brother-in-law Hideo would build and race their own cars as they were all gear heads having fun. They would often be at auto races in Michigan, Indianapolis and Milwaukee. His love of car racing kept him glued to the TV every Sunday. Sachi worked as a seamstress at the famed Hart, Shaffner and Marx along with grandma Nagaishi. Most of the clothes the kids wore she sewed despite some resistance by the kids as to some of the colors and patterns she chose! They would stay close to the Japanese Community and was active with Wayne’s Boy Scout troop at Buddhist Temple of Chicago where many are still friends today.

They would start their infamous Piccadilly Garage on the south side of Chicago in Hyde Park storing cars for the Chicago White Sox Baseball and Chicago Cardinals Football teams when they went on the road. With Tom’s brother Masao and wife Florence they grew Piccadilly Garage into a full service auto repair shop when relocating to 79th street. When they ran Piccadilly Garage everything was done manually with old fashioned adding machines and manual ledgers which drove their accountant crazy all the way to the business finally closing in 2013 when the roof to the garage actually collapsed because it was over 100 years old. Probably one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago, Stoney Island, they eventually moved the family out of the city to South Holland further south of the city limits. Working six days a week and raising three children they flourished in the new town with great family friends like the Bilow’s, Lavender’s, Nicola’s, Mansueto’s and Chong’s to name a few. Throughout all the post war challenges and tough times trying to rebuild their lives, all their hard work, determination and resilience enabled them to finally achieve the American dream of owning a home, successful business and raising a family.

Tom’s sense of humor and Sachi’s generosity and kindness to all will never be forgotten. Dad was famous for his Teriyaki Chicken on his Red Weber Grill and mom practically fed all the kids in the neighborhood. Thanksgiving and Christmas were absolute feasts where mom always busted out her precious china and we all got to eat in the forbidden dining room and front room which was only for special occasions.

Their last days together were spent in beautiful Hawaii where going out on trips around the island and eating good food made them happy. They were absolutely inseparable so today they are now together again happy being with all the family and talking about the good ole times.

Tom and Sachiko are survived by her children, John and his wife Tara, Wayne and his wife Jacinda, and Cindy; her sister, Setsuko Holdren; and her grandsons, Garrett, Shaun, Dylan, Tommy, and Collin. They, along with countless others touched by Tom and Sachiko's generous spirit, continue their legacy. Preceded in death by their parents Takajiro and Tamiko Miyata, brother Masao, sisters Mary and Sue, Sajie and Sumiko Nagaishi, brothers, Hideo, Tadao, and Akira Nagaishi, sister, Kimiko Nagaishi.

Visitation for Sachiko and Tom will be held on Monday, May 13, 2024 from 3-7PM. with a Memorial Service to follow at 7:00PM at Colonial Chapel, 15525 S. 73rd Ave. (155th/Wheeler Dr. & Harlem) Orland Park, IL. A live-stream of the service will be available. Please visit Tom and Sachiko's obituary on Colonial Chapel's website at colonialchapel.com to view the live stream of the service. The live-stream link is posted below. Interment private at Montrose Cemetery, Chicago, IL. 

Below is a photo tribute and memorial service celebrating the lives of Tom and Sachiko. 

Express your thoughts and condolences at colonialchapel.com 708-532-5400