In Memory of Yoko Matsumura Takegawa

Seonghwa

Feb 13

Children: Keiichi
DOB: June 16, 1944
Ascension: February 9, 2026
Seonghwa Ceremony: Feb 13, 2026 11:30 AM EST at 78 DeMott Avenue, Clifton, NJ 07011
Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86004389390?pwd=yCwGemSHMbxXjJGUyD37hoMd0b0ISp.1#success

Yoko was born on June 16, 1944 to Matsuji Takegawa (father) and Katsui Sato (mother) in Sanjo City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. Yoko never met her father as he was enlisted by the Imperial Japanese Army to fight in World War II and perished in the infamous Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Her widowed mother worked at her family-owned liquor store to support Yoko and her older sister Chie. Yoko graduated from the selective Sanjo High School in 1963 and eventually studied English Literature at Meiji Gakuin University in Tokyo, becoming the first in her family to attend college, a rarity for women of her generation. She joined the Unification Church with the guidance of her spiritual father Nobuyoshi Hori in 1965. After college graduation, she worked as a bookkeeper for a vinyl recycling company before moving to Yokohama Church, where she evangelized in front of the train station.

In 1970, Yoko participated in the 777 Couples International Blessing in Seoul, Korea. In 1973, she left Japan for the United States as part of a large wave of missionaries to fundraise, evangelize, and support pivotal church events at Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, and the Washington Monument. The fruits of her evangelizing efforts in Albany and the Bronx include two spiritual children from this time period.

Yoko gave birth to her only child, Keiichi, in 1977 in New York City. Due to visa issues, Yoko returned to Japan alone and didn’t reunite with her young family until 1979. Upon her return to the United States, her new mission as an itinerant worker was to advise and mentor younger members in the Southern United States and Puerto Rico. From 1982-1984, she followed her then husband to his fisheries-related mission in Kodiak Island, Alaska. In 1985, back in New York City, she established her own business named Kokoro International to economically support the church’s religious initiatives. Yoko was reunited with her daughter in 1986, moved to Fort Lee, New Jersey and worked for Kokoro International until her retirement in 2020. In 2012, she moved to Ridgewood, NJ to be near her grandchildren.

In 2020, Yoko achieved Cheon Bo Family status. She was a generous donor to Clifton Family Church, KODAN, and Cheon Shim Won. She volunteered her time to fundraise for the Leda Project in Paraguay. Her evangelical zeal never waned and she even contemplated enrolling part-time at Bergen Community College in her 70s so that she could witness to young students.

Yoko loved to travel and cherished her trips to Japan every winter to visit relatives in Niigata and reconnect with old friends. She visited North Korea and Israel as part of WFWP tours as well as Southeast Asia and Leda, Paraguay. She was very social and enjoyed organizing gatherings and outings for the Fort Lee based small group and more recently being a member of the Ridgewood/Glen Rock based small group gatherings. Yoko’s grandchildren’s favorite memories of “obaachan” are post activity trips to get frozen yogurt and McDonald’s. Yoko’s life was defined by her devotion to God, the American providence (both as a missionary and as a financial supporter), her local church community, and her family.

In June 2025, Yoko was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After an 8 month battle which included 4 months of chemotherapy, she breathed her last breath peacefully in her home after being surrounded by her family at the age of 81.

Yoko is survived by her daughter Keiichi, son in law Jae ki, and grandchildren (Sophia, Adrien, and Nathan) and by her older sister Chie, aged 89, who resides in Japan.

For further reading on Yoko’s family history, please refer to this New York Times article: https://tparents.org/Library/Unification/Talks1/Matsumura/Matsumura-090918b.htm

Flowers may be sent to:
NJ Family Church
c/o Mrs. Eriko Endo
78 DeMott Ave.
Clifton, NJ 07011

Send cards and checks to:
Keiichi Matsumura
651 Ellington Rd
Ridgewood, NJ 07450

Money can also be sent directly via Zelle or Venmo:
Zelle: 201-968-6968
Venmo: @Keiichi-Matsumura