Sadako Hardy

At age 89, Sadako Hardy defied aging with her limber dance moves, her early morning gardening routine and extensive daily walks. She captured the fascination of the young and old, catapulting Sadako and her relevant influence into epic status. From her culinary skills, to her Asian philosophies, everyone who met Sadako will attest to the indelible impact she had on their lives.

Born in Tokyo Japan on June 6, 1930, Sadako spent most of her childhood in a country at war. Her father, Sampei Miura, had lived in the US for 37 years, attended Stanford University and inspired a love of America that led to Sadako’s destiny. In 1945, at age 15, Sadako witnessed the US fire-bombing air-raids of Tokyo that killed more than 100,000 people. She recalled climbing high up a tree, seeing the B-29s overhead, and thinking in the aftermath surrounded by fire, that the world had come to an end.

WWII brought severe hardships including starvation, poverty and a 2-year period of mourning over her father, who was presumed dead. In 1948, the Australian embassy sent a letter stating her father was returning home after years of imprisonment. He had been spared execution because of his kind and protective treatment of Australian and English prisoners during the war. At the time of the US occupation of Japan, her father gained employment at MacArthur’s Headquarters, establishing connections to ensure Sadako’s education. Sadako attended Shirayuri High School ran by the Sisters of St. Paul de Chartres and attained her college degree in English from the University of Sacred Heart.

In 1955 a chance meeting sparked by her father’s love of turkey, introduced Sadako to her future husband John Hardy. John, a West Catholic graduate, who upon learning Sadako was fundraising for her Catholic University, agreed to buy raffles in exchange for a tour. Sadako’s beauty and allure intrigued John, who was labeled as “not the marrying kind.” Over several years, they exchanged letters fueling a temporary romance that became a lifelong connection. They shared a love of art, literature, music, travel and an unyielding devotion for one another. In 1957, Sadako left her home, her family, and saw her father for the last time, to begin a new life with John in America. Although there were many challenges of an interracial marriage, Sadako and John spent a lifetime making treasured memories with family and friends and never parted from one another until John‘s death in 2005.

Service was Sadako’s special genius. In her early career, Sadako was a translator, which introduced her to cosmetology. She became a hair stylist until she retired at age 78. Many of us experienced her haircuts which were as captivating as her culinary brilliance. If it wasn’t her handmade sushi rolls, egg rolls, gyoza or famous jello squares at a party, you may have been lucky enough to sample her Sukiyaki from a Mongolian hot pot. Sadako also designed, sewed and hand beaded her daughter’s wedding gowns, embroidered, crocheted, knitted, upholstered, wallpapered, tiled, gardened; there wasn’t much she couldn’t do. Upon retirement, she took computer classes to ensure her connection to her grandchildren through email.

In the past few years, Sadako’s weight loss occasioned a doctor’s visit that discovered a lesion on her pancreas. Choosing no treatment, because she felt fine, Sadako chose to travel instead. Illness made her irrepressible. At age 88, she went back to Japan for a reunion with her high school girlfriends. She also traveled to Bend, Oregon and Daphne, Alabama to visit her children.

On December 3, Sadako passed away in her sleep surrounded by family. When someone dies, much is lost to us. However, Sadako’s fearlessness, adventurous vigor, giving spirit, unfailing compassion and genuine friendship will continue to resonate in the minds and hearts of everyone she knew.

She is survived by her four children Theresa (Steve) Guyer, Mari (Steve deceased) Adkins, John (Aki) Hardy and Cecilia (Bill) Mace; her grandchildren Alex Guyer, Austin Guyer, Shinar Adkins, Shaun Hardy, Emily Mace and Juliet Mace; her brother-in-law Jim (Bev) Hardy; sister-in-law Chiyoko (Kazuo deceased) Miura and extended family and friends which includes too many to name. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John Hardy; her first-born grandson Nick Guyer; her parents Sampei and Kayo Miura; her brothers Shozo and Kazuo Miura; her in-laws Victor (Connie) Hardy, Dorothy (Jack) Donegan, Phillip (Betty) Hardy, Lester (Elsie) Hardy, Peggy (Joe) McCarrie, Veronica (Bill) Simons and her son-in-law Steve Adkins. 



A funeral mass and memorial celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2020, Sadako’s 90th birthday. Details will be forthcoming at www.creativetribute.com/sadako

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sadako’s honor can be made online at
https://www.mainlinehealth.org/ways-to-give/homecare-and-hospice/types-of-gifts
or checks mailed to Main Line Health Hospice
240 North Radnor Chester Road, Suite 100, Radnor Pa 19087

And to the Carmelite Monastery. Checks mailed to 49 Mount Carmel Road, Santa Fe, NM 87505
505 983 7232 | https://www.carmelofsantafe.org/

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