Yuko Kagei

Yuko Kagei, 61 years of age, passed away peacefully on Friday, February 2nd, 2024, surrounded by her family.

Born April 28th, 1962, in Yokosuka, Kanagawa prefecture to her father, Koichi, and mother, Sachiko, Yuko embodied warmth, adventurousness, and passion. From an early age, Yuko dreamt of becoming a flight attendant and traveling the world. Her dreams, passion, and determination led her to study English diligently, eventually participating in a high school exchange program in Spokane, Washington. She graduated from Sophia University and began her career in the airline industry as a travel interpreter for Northwest Airlines in the mid-1980s.

Yuko married Ichiro on April 11th, 1987, and moved to Evanston, Illinois shortly after. Two children, Hiroyuki and Shota were born from this union in 1992 and 1995, respectively. Yuko was a loving wife and a devoted mother who loved celebrating birthdays, holidays, and life milestones with delicious dinners and her signature strawberry shortcake. In her spare time, Yuko pursued her passions with zeal. She had a keen eye for antiques and delighted in the art of egg carving. Her adventurous spirit led her to explore new destinations with her family, always eager to immerse herself in diverse cultures and experiences.

In early 2009, Yuko ventured back into the airline industry, determined to achieve her childhood dream of becoming a flight attendant. She applied to and was accepted into Delta’s flight attendant training program and earned her wings in April of that year.

Yuko loved being a flight attendant. As a free-roaming spirit, she enjoyed traveling to distant destinations in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. She cherished her colleagues, often visiting tourist attractions, restaurants, bars, concerts, and events with her crewmates. Yuko would often come home tired, but content and excited to share pictures and stories from abroad with Ichiro, Hiroyuki, and Shota over dinner.

Yuko's legacy of love, kindness, and adventure will continue to live on in the hearts of her husband, brother, sons, and countless friends touched by her vibrant spirit.