Emiko "Amy" Andrews

Memorial services for Emiko "Amy" Andrews, 85, will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sat., Dec. 13, 2014, at the Congregational Church in Lusk.

Amy passed away peacefully Sat., Dec. 6, 2014, at her daughter's home in Lusk.

Memorials may be made to the Niobrara Senior Center, PO Box 928, Lusk, WY 82225-0928, or to the donor's choice.

Pier Funeral Home is assisting the family.

A full obituary will follow at a later date.

The Lusk Herald
December 17, 2014
Emiko "Amy" Masuda Andrews

Emiko "Amy" Masuda Andrews quietly slipped away from her earthly life December 6, 2014 while recovering from hip surgery at the home of her daughter and son-in-law in Lusk, WY. Emiko, born February 3, 1929, was the youngest of three children born to Shigema and Sute Masuda in Hakodate, Hokkaido Japan.

She and her siblings spent their childhood in Yakamo, Hokkaido, enduring the hardships of growing up in a country embroiled in World War II. Raised by a single mom, after her father deserted their family, Emiko learned from her, the essentials of hard work and the spirit of giving and caring for others.

After finishing high school, Emiko attended an academy to become a seamstress. Her ability with needle and thread would bring many people to her American home. The sound of the sewing machine humming away or her sitting, sewing by hand was a constant her entire life. The first dinner jackets and cummerbunds for the high school Choralaires came from her little sewing alcove, along with the full regalia for an Arabian horse competitor and Western shirts made for high school rodeo contestants. Innumerable alterations to all types of clothing from suit jackets to high school cheerleading outfits and the countless jobs of mending continued to fill her days, even to the past few months of her life. She loved sewing clothing for her children, who never had to worry they would show up wearing the same outfit as a friend. Her son James had custom made suits and her daughters had matching dresses when they were young and their prom dresses and wedding dresses were made with love. The current trend of repurposing items was commonplace for Amy 50 plus years ago, as she transformed a green satin formal into three Easter dresses or made a furry winter coat and hat for one of the girls from a thrift store find.

A Christmas party in 1952 that Emiko's brother helped organize, was where East was about to meet West. American soldiers stationed in the area and some girls from the local police department were all invited. Joe Andrews who was serving with the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict was among those G.I.s. and Emiko was one of those girls. Although Joe "took a shine to a little Japanese beauty," Emiko wasn't totally enamored with the attention of the Wyoming cowboy. Working as the lead telephone operator for the Yakamo police department, she even asked to be transferred to discourage Joe. But destiny intervened. When Joe was in Sapporo on a 3-day leave and waiting for his train, he went to a movie that had already started. When the lights came up for intermission, Emiko was sitting in the seat next to him. Emiko knew then she was meant to be with Joe. They were married November 1, 1953 beginning a nine month endurance of military red tape where Emiko was denied rights as a US military dependent until their marriage was legally recognized by the American Consulate on August 16 the following year.

December 1955 Joe brought his wife and infant daughter to the US. When Joe was discharged from the Army a year later they moved back to his hometown and thus began Emiko's 60 year association with the Lusk community.

Now known as Amy, she embraced her American home. She was a stay-at-home mom until her four children were all in school, then took her first job at Foley's Laundry. Over the years she would work at the Pioneer Court, the Covered Wagon and the Trail motels. She spent several years working as a florist for Jane Ellis and then Sharron Clarke. Her sewing skills saw her working at Designs by DeeDee. Her reputation of being kind and nurturing was put to practice as she cared for Marjorie Kaan, Gertrude Chamberlain, Jeanette Sager, Marie Wilson, Betty Reed and the Bardos, Helen and Dale and Jane and Gerry. She often said that if she ever had the opportunity, she would move to The Ranger and take care of the old people there. Her care-taking nature extended to many families, especially those with children, helping anyone who she thought could use a hand up. There was rarely a holiday dinner when she wasn't putting a plate or two together to take to someone who didn't have a family to share a Thanksgiving or Christmas meal with. Her knitting needles and crochet hooks made numerous prayer shawls for those struggling with illness or loss. And preemie babies benefited from the many, many caps she made.

Amy gave back to community, who had readily adopted her, by serving as a 4-H leader for 20 plus years, coordinating foreign exchange students and families for the Experiment in International Living program for 6 years, and was an active member in the Does, the VFW Auxiliary, the Congregational Church and the Lusk Womens Club. The Womens Club was a gateway for Amy to get acquainted with people and helped her and her family commemorate and celebrate when she became a naturalized United States citizen in 1964.

And through it all she was "a partner in everything", ceaselessly working side by side with her husband to raise a family and venture into the business world with Joe's Fix-It Shop and their gift store, Treasure World.

Emiko, "Amy" loved people and leaves behind a legacy of caring and giving with her family being her most treasured happiness. She is survived by her husband of 61 years, her daughter, June Boutwell of Decatur, GA, Eva Titchener and her husband Al and Norma Langston of Lusk and son James, Tulsa, OK; grandchildren Jeremy Boutwell, Portland, OR; Stephen Boutwell, Lusk; Austin Erlewine, Casper, WY; Jonna Langston, Rapid City, SD; Ethan Langston, Gillette, WY and her great granddaughter, Lyrica Langston; her sister, Reiko Hobescheid, Shawno, WI and nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother and brother, Kazuya.

Emiko always said she felt her purpose in life was to help others. Her life is a testament to the successful fulfillment of that purpose.

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