Masako T Halbrook

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11, 2015 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home in Shelbyville, IL with Rev. Harold Bray officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:30 a.m. Saturday in the funeral home. Interment will take place following the memorial service at Brunswick Cemetery, rural Westervelt, IL. Directions will be provided at the memorial service. A luncheon will be served at 1:30 p.m. at the Westervelt Christian Church, 103 W. Main Street in Westervelt, IL. All are welcome and dress is casual. In lieu of flowers, memorials be may be given to The Arthritis Foundation or the charity of your choice.

Masako was born on November 14, 1935 in Kanagawa, Japan, the daughter of Kensaku and Toshi Murayama. Her early life was greatly affected by World War II. At the age of seven, she travelled on a boat that was sunk by a submarine. During the Battle of Okinawa, her family took shelter in a cave and were removed by American soldiers. Her family worked together after the war to establish a successful farm in Okinawa.

Masako met her husband, Lloyd William Halbrook, while working at Kadena Air Force Base in Okinawa. They were married in 1965 and lived in Okinawa for three and a half years. In 1968, Masako, Lloyd, and their daughter Sanae moved to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH. Their son, Lloyd Jr. was born there a few years later in 1971.

Masako and her husband set up a family farm in Xenia, Illinois. She enjoyed the social life and going to local dances.

Lloyd and Masako moved to Reno, Nevada in December 2014 to be close to their children.

She is survived by her husband, Lloyd; son, Lloyd Halbrook, Jr. and wife Jennifer of Sacramento, CA; daughter, Sanae Dixon and husband Ed of Reno, NV; grandchildren, Naomi and Emily Dixon; sisters, Sadako Murayama and Kimiko McArthy.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Kenichi Murayama; and sister, Kayoko Conneta.

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