Hiroko Furukawa Tolbert O'Connor

PINE CITY - Hiroko Furukawa Tolbert O'Connor, 90, of Pine City, NY, who arrived in Chemung County nearly seven decades ago as a Japanese war bride, passed away peacefully at home on June 28, 2021. Her family was by her side. Hiroko was born on Nov. 22, 1930 in Korea during Japan’s occupation of that country.Her father was an officer in Japan’s Imperial Army. After his death her family returned to Japan and she graduated from Mizukaido High School, where she proudly served as the captain of the girls basketball team.In post-war Japan, she married Samuel W. Tolbert, who was stationed in Tokyo with the U.S. occupation forces. She came to the United States in 1952 and made her home in the community anchored by Tolbert’s Poultry Farm. She owned and operated Tolbert's Market on Hendy Creek Road for many years until her retirement.She married Richard O'Connor (Elmira Police Department Ret.) in 2009.Hiroko is survived by her husband Richard, three children and two stepchildren: Kathryn Tolbert Dohner of Bethesda, Md (Robert Dohner); Samuel Tolbert of Hagerstown, Md; Susan Tolbert of Deland, FL (William Blalock); stepdaughter Colleen Walker of Elmira, and stepson Tom O’Connor of Elmira. She is also survived by nine grandchildren.In Japan she is survived by her sister, Yuriko Ochi, three nieces and a nephew.Hiroko was predeceased by her son, William P. Tolbert, in 2018. A memorial gathering will be held at an undetermined date in the future.Her final resting place will be at Mount Saviour Monastery’s Good Shepherd Cemetery in Pine City.Online Condolences may be made by visiting www.olthof.com.