Pok Yo

As a young woman, Pok Yo met an American soldier in Korea and they began a relationship, but he was quickly transferred to Vietnam. Despite many obstacles, the young couple was able to move to the United States a few years later, where they eventually married and had three children together.

Pok Yo spent most of her life in Wisconsin. She ran a laundromat in a section of town notorious for violence, but she was protected by the community and even by gang members. Her husband was a disabled veteran, and with advancing age, he needed more care than she could provide alone. They moved across the street from their daughter in Utah.  Their daughter took on the care of both aging parents; sadly, Pok Yo’s husband died a year later.

Dementia has not stopped Pok Yo from constantly moving. She feeds apples to the horses behind her house, picks the dandelions in the yard, another activity?, and keeps continuously busy. She has a devoted white dog, and enjoys putting trinkets on display throughout her home. She has a special affection for Chuck Norris, collects pictures of him, and even got to meet him once. 

Pok Yo loves to ask questions and always does so with a smile. She says she doesn’t need her picture taken, but when she sees the camera focused on her, she is happy to strike a pose.