<Begin Segment 16>

TI: So let's talk a little bit about your, your family. You and Bob got married, and tell me about your children.

MO: Yeah, we were still in Star Apartment, and then we bought our house up where we, up close to where... anyway, we had four boys. We've lost two.

TI: So can we just maybe walk through, or tell me the names of your...

MO: Arnie's the oldest. He lives in L.A. right now. And Gordy, we just lost him in January with lung cancer. He was, then the third one, Ross, he and his wife, the two girls, they live in, it's really Bellevue-Renton is kind of like, they've kind of changed over there on that south end. They call it Bellevue-Renton, I guess. And Bobby, our youngest one, we lost when we was six, of asthma, severe asthma.

TI: Okay. So Marian, I'm kind of struck by your life story, that you've had to deal with some really difficult tragedies, your older brother and then the loss of two sons, which, again, is very tragic to have to lose that. I mean, what, what keeps you going? How do you, what do you say to yourself to get through these difficult times?

MO: Well, I still have others to take care of. Our boys are, well, like one's in California and, Arnie lives in California. Gordy's gone. Ross is in Bellevue-Renton, and Bobby's gone. But we have two grandsons and a great-granddaughter that still live with us, so we're still with children.

TI: So the thing that keeps you going is you're still needed in these other areas that, and that helps you just keep going.

MO: I guess so. Yeah, I guess we do have to keep going.

TI: So when you think of your grandchildren, great-grandchildren, what are some of the things that you would tell them that are important in life?

MO: The things that are important?

TI: Yeah, what's important to you?

MO: Well, we hope we're trying to set good examples for them.

TI: And what are, when you say set good examples, so what are the, the characteristics or things that are, that you try to set good examples about?

MO: Well, I suppose you're honest always from the beginning and try to live the right life where you're doing all the right things, being responsible and caring for others, and try to contribute in some way.

TI: So another thing that strikes me is during this interview, I don't detect any bitterness about your life or, like the tragedies or being put in camp, I mean, why is that?

MO: Everybody's life is probably, I think sometimes it's already mapped out for you, and you do the best you can. I mean, I'm sure nobody's life goes scot free. We all have hurdles of some kind or another, big or small, and we have to learn to keep going for the sake of others as well as ourselves.

TI: That's good. So I'm at the end of my questions. Is there anything else that you wanted to say or anything that I didn't ask you about that you'd like to talk about for this interview?

MO: You have any, Bob? [Laughs]

TI: Yeah, Bob, is there anything that I should ask your wife while, for, to preserve for posterity?

RO: Sixty years.

TI: Sixty years, so you've been married sixty years? [MO nods] So this is your, you just, like, finished your sixtieth anniversary?

RO: Just finished it.

TI: That's amazing. I get, it's interesting interviewing both of you, I sense this really strong connection between the two of you.

RO: Definitely.

MO: Well, I think having gone through this many years and these many things, I mean, you can't help but, we depend on each other a lot. Yeah. Moral support is everything.

TI: So Marian, so thank you so much for doing this interview and telling me about some very difficult, difficult things. So thank you.

MO: Well, it's nice that you're putting so much time into working on a project like this. It takes a lot of your time and things to take care of here. I think we can appreciate you, too.

TI: Well, thank you.

RO: It's a very important project to be...

TI: Well, the lives that you lived through, we can learn so much from, and I think it's not just preserving history, but it's really an opportunity for future generations to learn from you, your husband, and others who went through this time.

RO: Sure.

TI: So that's what I so appreciate, so thank you for doing this.

MO: Well, you're working very hard and we appreciate all your hard work.

TI: Thank you. Okay.

<End Segment 16> - Copyright © 2011 Densho. All Rights Reserved.