Susan (Sueko) Miyagi Yanes

April 20, 1936 — May 17, 2026

Susan (Sueko) Miyagi Yanes passed away peacefully on Sunday, May 17, 2026. She is survived and forever loved by her children, Eugene, Delia, Adam Jr. (Tammy), and Lee (Mandy); 10 grandchildren and their spouses; and 4 great-grandchildren.

Susan was born in Okinawa-ken, Japan, and was the fourth daughter and youngest of seven children of Matsu Miyagi and Macha Arakaki. Despite the catastrophic disruptions to Okinawan life during WWII, she flourished as a gifted student and athlete in her village Nakagusuku-son. Susan quickly transitioned to the workforce following her high school graduation, taking a role at a shoe repair shop on the local U.S. base. It is there she would eventually meet her future husband, Adam Sr., though neither could ever agree on who asked who out first. They married in 1962 and lived a full life together for 57 years until his passing in 2019.

Standing at a formidable 4’11”, Susan was a force of nature. She leaves her family and closest friends with a trove of cherished anecdotes - stemming from her stoic, often steely, and quick-witted nature. Whether it was conscripting her unwitting children into amateur bowling leagues, or lecturing her grandchildren on the criticality of eating broccoli, wearing fresh sneakers, and not dating people from New Jersey – there was never a shortage of things you could learn from Mom/Grandma.

She amassed, in retrospect, a dizzying number of passions and hobbies, many of which she passed on to her children and grandchildren. She was a ravenous Chicago Bulls and Dallas Cowboys fan; and everyone agrees she loved watching sports on TV more than Dad/Grandpa. In equal measure, she relentlessly ensured every person that came into her home was well-fed. The fridge was always stocked to feed 50 people, and her children fondly remember how their house became the hangout spot for all the neighborhood kids. Above all else, she adored her large family, and never hesitated to whip out her well-curated albums of family photos at any given moment for unsuspecting visitors (and cashiers at the Fort Lee Commissary).

If you were lucky - you could catch Susan in her quiet moments toiling away in her prized gardens, masterfully altering any number of garments on her ancient Singer sewing machine, or listening to her favorite Elvis Presley & Maroon 5 albums on repeat. In these moments live some of her family's most treasured memories.

A funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2026 at the Colonial Heights Chapel of E. Alvin Small Funeral Homes and Crematory, 2033 Boulevard Colonial Heights, Virginia 23834. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in her name to the Alzheimer’s Association or Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Friends are encouraged to share memories and words of condolence with the family by visiting https://www.ealvinsmall.com/.