Mieko Bluhm

Born on May 8, 1947 to Atsushi and Kiyoko (Ishida) Hatori, Mieko Hatori Bluhm grew up in Gunma, Maebashi, Japan. Her father owned and operated a propane gas business, and was known in the community as an honest and generous man. Her mother worked diligently at home to support the household. After graduating from fashion school, Mieko moved to the United States to chase “the American dream.”

God’s providence eventually had her working at Picker International in the Cleveland, Ohio area doing secretarial work, where she met Thomas Bluhm, who would become her husband. With him, they had two children: Mia Kiyoka Bluhm and Luke Jun Bluhm. The relationships within this household proved to be of eternal consequences. Mieko began to be strongly drawn to Christian churches with the birth of Mia, finding the message of the grace of God compelling. That time, however, was only the beginning of a lifelong pilgrimage of coming to know God savingly in Jesus Christ.

Over the years, the family attended different churches, which God used in various ways to further her spiritual walk. In time, her son Luke became a pastor in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), and he took a call as pastor in Spearfish, South Dakota in the fall of 2018. Mieko’s husband Thomas decided to move her and Mia to live near Luke and his family in April of 2020, and they became members of the church he pastored. It proved to be a spiritually fruitful season for them, where they clearly grew much in the grace and knowledge of the Lord.

In January 2022, Mieko’s husband passed away after a heart attack and subsequent health complications. In November 2024, Mieko was diagnosed with extensive stage small cell lung cancer. During the months of treatment, she memorized 2 Peter 1:10, “Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.” She also knew the surrounding context, which taught her to understand that, ultimately, nothing else really mattered in comparison to knowing that you are called and elected by God.

In retrospect, Mieko remembered that she had been exposed to Christianity (albeit in very small ways) during her childhood in Japan, which is a remarkable fact in itself. Towards the end of her life, she still remembered the first verse of Silent Night in Japanese. She recognized the immense grace of God to her in making Himself known to her, even during her childhood. Eventually, complications from cancer treatments led to her rapid deterioration in health, hospitalization, and death. During her hospitalization at the end of her earthly pilgrimage, one of her doctors expressed how impressed she was that Mieko was facing death with such courage, which led Mieko to shed tears of joy as she gave all glory to God for working courage into her heart.

After waiting upon the Lord to see if He would heal her, the Lord revealed His salvation in bringing her home to glory with Jesus Christ. She passed away quietly on the afternoon of Friday, August 16, 2025, with Mia, Luke, and his wife Michele surrounding her.

Services will be held 10:30 A.M. Wednesday, August 27, 2025 at the New Covenant Presbyterian Church in Spearfish. There will be no visitation. Interment will take place in Rosehill Cemetery, in Spearfish. Arrangements are with Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche. The funeral service will available for viewing on Mieko’s obituary page, located on the funeral home’s website: www.LeveringtonFH.com