OK Obits

© Chapel Hill Funeral Home
Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

Yuko (Ikeda) Orban

???? ~ 2020 | Age 81

Yuko Orban, the fifth of eight siblings born to Noboru and Kou Ikeda of Chofu, Japan, passed away in Oklahoma City this week; she was 81. Preceded in death by her daughter Ann, Yuko is survived by husband John, granddaughter Sarah (and family) in Oklahoma City, and sisters Toshiko, Setsuko and Masumi (and their extended families) in Japan.

Yuko first lived in the U.S. in San Antonio and later lived in the Dallas - Ft Worth area where she raised her daughter Ann. She was the first person to drive on the LBJ Freeway when it opened decades ago. She worked for years at Blue Cross Blue Shield, becoming a Special Assistant to the President of Blue Cross, Dallas.

Yuko moved to Oklahoma City when she married John, the love of her life.

Trained in the Ikenobo style of Ikebana (‘flower arranging’), her exquisite sense of natural beauty permeated all and every day of her life.

In 1987, when the State of Oklahoma sought assistance creating the Oklahoma / Kyoto Sister-City Sister-State relationships, Yuko was asked to help. From that experience, she started her own consulting business and travel agency, The Japan Connection, to help others navigate the differences between Oklahoma and Japanese culture. Her company and her personal input were much sought after on both sides of the Pacific — in government relationships between Oklahoma and Kyoto, and in business dealings between private Oklahoman and Japanese entities.

Yuko was pictured (in color above the fold) on the front page of Oklahoma City‘s The Oklahoman. She was later featured on the front page of the Shawnee Tribune (Shawnee, OK).

Combining the best of both Oklahoma-Texas hospitality and Japanese culture, her charm, warm personality, and winning manner made any gathering a success.

A Celebration of Life get-together for family and friends, will be held in Oklahoma City, Saturday, August 15, 2020 from 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (with pandemic protocols strictly observed).

Advance notice of your plan to attend would be appreciated by August 12th. For directions, please tel/text  

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