Kayoko (Minami) Vernier

The loss of Kayoko (Minami) Vernier has created a hole that aches in the lives of all who knew her. She was born into the loving arms of her father and mother, Hirotsugu and Miyuki Minami, in Tokyo, Japan on March 2, 1964. After completing high school there, she received an associate degree in 1990 from the business school at Mount Ida college in Massachusetts. From there she returned to Tokyo, and began working in an office where she caught the eye of her future husband, Steven Vernier. Fate smiled upon them because although job changes had caused them to drift apart, they both randomly had a business trip on the same 747 airplane, and Steve once again spotted her in flight and mustered up the courage to go talk to her. Their romance blossomed and they were married at the beautiful Shin Takanawa Prince hotel in Tokyo, on March 19th, 1993. They were soon blessed by the arrival of their son, Timothy Vernier. The Vernier family moved from Japan to Phoenix, Arizona in the summer of 2001. Kayoko continued her education and received a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Development from the prestigious Japan Women’s University. Their lovely daughter Sheila Vernier was born in 2004. The Vernier’s loved and maintained the multicultural nature of their family. In addition to dedicating herself to the care and development of their bilingual children, Kayoko enjoyed many years of Japanese cultural activities while living in Arizona. She enjoyed water color painting, writing Haiku poetry, advanced to expert levels of Ikebana flower arranging, and her most distinctly favorite hobby of pottery. Although Kayoko left us on June 23, 2024, she is survived and loved in Tokyo, Japan by her father and mother Hirotsugu and Miyuki Minami, and her 2 brothers Mitsunobu and Katsuo Minami. In Phoenix, Arizona, she is survived by her husband Steven Vernier, son Timothy Vernier, and daughter Sheila Vernier. May she find the peace she so richly deserves.

A public viewing for family, friends, colleagues, and neighbors will be held at the Whitney & Murphy Beuler Mortuary on Friday, June 28, 2024 from 5:00PM until 8:00PM, with a sharing of memories at 6:30PM, 14 W. Hulet Drive, Chandler, AZ 85225 Phone: (480) 963-6351.

 Soon after, her ashes will be returned to Japan and a separate ceremony will be held there.