Midori Hitomi

Midori Hitomi was born on June 25, 1956 just as the surrounding forests of Mutsu, Aomori in Northern Japan were transforming into the deep, lush green that accompanies the beginning of summer. In Japanese, “Midori” means green, and it was used as a name to capture the bountiful and energetic feeling of the coming summer. Living up to her namesake, Midori’s cheerful and caring personality brought smiles to people’s faces and brought communities together. 

Midori was also known to be persistent and diligent in whatever challenges came her way. As a daughter of a veterinarian in the rural Japanese countryside, she had limited educational opportunities nearby. Her early academic excellence prompted her parents to send her to the best middle and high school in the Aomori prefecture in Hirosaki, but it required her to live hours away from her family during those years. Her resilience and independence landed her at Niigata University, where she earned not only her dental degree, but also a PhD in oral pathology.

Her biggest challenge came when Midori was still a young mother of three, and she and her husband, Masahiro, made a life-altering decision to move halfway across the world to Cleveland, Ohio. Undeterred by her imperfect English, she quickly befriended complete strangers who were charmed by her outgoing nature, and some became life-long friends. As she built a community around her, she was hired into an electron microscopy lab at Case Western Reserve University to support medical research, and she became a highly coveted technician for her technical skills and attention to detail. All of this, she accomplished as she gave birth to a fourth child and nurtured a family of six.

Midori’s source of energy came from caring for others and being a part of a larger group whether it was spending quality time with her family on outdoor adventures, teaching at the Japanese Language School of Cleveland, joining Toastmasters and a bookclub to master her English, or hosting elaborate dinner parties with friends and family. Over the years, Midori built a significant community and touched many hearts, and when she was diagnosed with colon cancer she received an outpouring of affection and support from her friends who cherished her. The love she received from her friends and family provided solace as she fearlessly battled her cancer to the very end. Midori, aged 67, passed away on April 20th, 2024 at her home in Beachwood, Ohio with her loving family nearby. 

To honor and celebrate Midori’s life a memorial service will take place on Friday 4/26/2024 at 3:00 pm at the Lake View Cemetery Community Mausoleum. Please drive through the gate on Mayfield road (835 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH), where there will be staff who will direct you where to go. Midori is survived by her husband Masahiro and her four children Yutaka, Nozomi, Emi, and Kei. In lieu of flowers and other gifts, please consider donating to the Cuyahoga County Public Library (https://ccplfoundation.org/ways-to-give/#give) or the Shaker Library (https://shakerlibrary.org/support-the-library/).



Condolences and special memories of Midori can be shared with her family online at www.heritagecremationsociety.com