Yoshiko (Chuganji) Hillman, loving wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away peacefully on September 23, 2025 at her home surrounded by her family. She was 88 years old.

Yoshiko was born on May 14, 1937 in Manchuria, China and lived there with her parents and five siblings until the age of eight, when the family returned to their home country of Japan.  The family settled in Fukuoka, where Yoshi graduated from high school, attended university and then worked in the accounting department of a textile company.  Since the textile company had a branch in Philadelphia, Yoshi thought it might be helpful to take a conversational English course at the local community center.  There, she met a young Air Force Airman named James Hillman, who was working a second job as a teacher. The pair fell in love, married, and lived five wonderful years in Japan.  In 1970, when Yoshi became pregnant with their first daughter, the couple decided to move to the United States, in New Jersey, where Jim was raised.  The family lived in Blackwood for a few years before settling in Williamstown in 1978, where they raised their three daughters.  Yoshi remained in Williamstown with her husband Jim until the time of her death.

Yoshi was a homemaker while her daughters were young, and then worked at Lord Jeff Knitting Company, and later at Lancaster Dress Company, where she loved helping women pick out clothing and feel beautiful about themselves.

Yoshi also loved to cook, her dishes brought her family and friends together.  Nobody in her family could replicate her spinach balls or her cheesecake, no matter how hard they tried.  But her traditional Japanese dishes were where her talent really shined; Yoshi loved gathering and cooking for her friends.

Yoshi was creative and loved crafting, creating beautiful Japanese dolls, Japanese Punch Embroidery art, and greeting cards.

Yoshi enjoyed family vacations down the shore, at Disney World, and the Outer Banks. Yoshi and Jim travelled the world, she loved her time in Hawaii, Italy, and all throughout Europe.  She returned to her home country of Japan many times to visit her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.

Spending time with her family was the most important thing to Yoshi, her love and devotion to her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were natural and effortless.  She lived her life with grace and dignity, while remaining a constant source of warmth and comfort to her family and loved ones.

Yoshiko is survived by her loving husband of 59 years, James, three daughters and sons-in-law, Christine and John DelSordo, Robin and Joseph Puccio, and Lori and Edward O'Malley; seven grandchildren, Celesse, Allie, Hayden, Zoe, Sloane, Seamus and Jacob; and two great-grandchildren, Landen and Raelynn.

The family would like to express our thanks for the wonderful care given by Samaritan Hospice and their staff.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Tuesday, September 30, 2025 from 10:00-11:00 AM at Farnelli Funeral Home, 504 N. Main Street, Williamstown, where a funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM. Her burial will take place at the Gloucester County Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Williamstown after the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Fund by visiting www.kidneyfund.org