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TI: Right, so we'll get there, but before, I just want a sense of, how would you describe your father? What kind of man was he?

EY: Well, he wasn't a laboring man. And he was concerned about the young people of the day, and so he took the initiative of renting space for the young people to have an organization of their own and be able to discuss different issues.

TI: And this was right at the very beginning when he first got there?

EY: Yeah. When he was involved over at Hardy's, the jewelry store, that is when he had the opportunity because along with that and his other involvement, he was... I guess he wasn't married, so all he had to do was spend the money for drinks and help the young people with baseball balls and things like that.

TI: And what about his personality? If you had to kind of describe his personality, was he kind of outgoing or was he quiet, or what kind of person was he?

EY: My mother's complaint would be very descriptive. She said he was more concerned and interested in his boys whom he was helping, like having the club room and having, buying things for their baseball team and things like that. And she was very jealous, and she told me so, many times. She said, "He was more interested in his boys than me." [Laughs] And I didn't know how to answer, so I said, "Oh." (Narr. note: My father had a concern for the young people of the day. When a Japanese training ship came to Seattle, the young fellows invited the crew to dinner. One of the young fellows made a speech. He said that, "If there ever should be a war between the two countries, we will fight Japan with yamato damashii.")

TI: And when he was with the boys, at the club and stuff, how would he be? Was he really talkative, was he kind of the leader?

EY: He was a leader, but I don't know to what extent. Because at that time, I was more like a baby. And the only... and the only comments that I remember very clearly is Ralph Kono, (he) had a garage on Twelfth Avenue. And one day I went to pick up my father's car, which he had left there for service, and Yuki, ordinarily would just take care of preparing the bill or something like that. But on this particular day he came around and then he said, "You know, your father did a lot of good things for the young people of the day," and he was the only one that really came out to tell me that. But I was impressed with that because normally people don't care about saying anything like that. But he went out of his way to come around and say that. And I remember I went to his funeral service. (Narr. note: Whenever people had an opportunity to nominate or elect a chairman or leader for a group they tended to nominate or appoint my father so perhaps he did have a leadership quality.)

TI: Now are you talking about Kono-san, or your father's?

EY: No, Kono, (...) And he was a member of a Christian church over in the Bothell area, and he had done so much for that church. In fact, what is it... you know, making like park facilities and things like that, that the church had property, but there was nobody to make it better. And Yuki was the one that...

TI: Oh, so really made it beautiful, the garden.

EY: And the church did recognize him for that.

<End Segment 3> - Copyright © 2014 Densho. All Rights Reserved.