Miyoko Kamitani

Miko was born in 1946, the youngest child of a family who owned and operated a hotel with a hot springs in Fukushima prefecture in Japan.

Her family was very kind and generous, always helping those who were in trouble, or assisting the less fortunate in their community.

Miko was a very athletic person and achieved the title of State Champion in gymnastics when she was only in Junior High School. She went on to attend a top-rated university in Tokyo, Japan called Aoyama Gakuen College.

Miko began her career as a fashion model during her years at college; by the time she graduated from Aoyama Gakuen, her beautiful face and name were well-known all over Japan. She did many fashion shows for famous designer, Kansai Yamamoto, throughout many places in Japan and also in Italy.

In 1979, Miko married Isao (Kami) Kamitani. Kami worked at Sumitomo Corporation, and the couple moved to Denver, Colorado, where Kami opened a Sumitomo Denver location that same year.

She had a great passion for being active--Miko enjoyed golf, tennis, skiing, and especially liked bowling with her friends at Columbine Country Club. Miko also had a keen interest in art and in collecting European antiques such as Meisen, Serves, Chelsea, Venetian glass, and nineteenth-century French dolls. With her kind heart and good-natured character, Miko was adored by everyone who met her.

Over the last twenty years, Miko has fought a long and difficult battle with both brain cancer and breast cancer. Despite these incredible challenges, Miko met them each time with resilience and a fighting spirit—something she learned from her American friends. When her husband Isao received word from the Sumitomo Corporation Tokyo head office to return to Tokyo, Miko did not wish to leave Denver. She said, “I stay in Colorado,” because she grew to love Colorado and her Colorado friends. Miko also wished to remain close to the amazing doctors and medical staff in Denver who helped to save her life.

Miko passed away on January 16th from the complications and side effects of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She is survived by her husband, Isao (Kami) Kamitani in Castle Rock, Colorado, and by many loving friends.

“Memories of Miko-san will always be with us because of her wonderful spirit. She was such a beautiful, gracious, caring person. She was always concerned about the wellbeing of others even when her health was failing.”

Please send any flowers to Horan & McConaty off County Line Road for Friday, February 5, 2021 with delivery by 10:00am