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BY: Okay, so when did you come back to Seattle?

MK: 1988, and I had thirty years, and so I retired. George didn't have, he needed two more years or something, so he worked. But I worked part-time. Joy got me a job. I told her, "I want social security and I don't want to stay home," because I still was in my early sixties. And then she was working for an architectural firm and going to a school. And she said, "They want somebody part time," because it was a startup company, five partners. So I said, "I'll do that," so I did that for five years and I get the minimum social security, too. But it was nice because I could name my hours and times off.

BY: That's great. Okay, so I... you've had a very, very full life, it sounds like. So we're coming to the end. Is there any other memory either of your childhood or of the camp experience or after the war that you would like to share that you haven't already?

MK: Gosh, nothing special.

BY: Okay, all right. So my last question is, so you have children and grandchildren, and you've lived a long, very full life, what words of wisdom or advice, do you have any advice or words of wisdom that you would like to pass on to either your children or grandchildren? Like things that you think are important in life or things that you think that, pieces of advice that you could give?

MK: Oh, gosh, I don't know. I mean, I've been so lucky and everything. I think I really treasure all that's happened.

BY: Okay. I don't want to put you on the spot, but I thought maybe there's something that you would think, "Oh, I really want to say this"?

MK: No. Yeah, I just hope they're all happy and live a nice life. I just love my family. They're so devoted to us oldies.

BY: And you're the last of the Okazaki siblings, right, who's left? How does that feel to you?

MK: Well, you know, I figure that happens, same thing with George, he became the last one, too, so we're kind of in the same boat. But I want to do all I can for my children and grandchildren than I can do. And it's only financial now that we could help them with anything.

BY: Are there any traditions that you want to keep alive as far as things that your family has always done or that are particularly meaningful to you?

MK: No, I just hope they stay together, my family, my family's siblings, children. We're in touch with a couple of them who come to visit, too.

BY: That's good. Well, you are such a -- how do I say it? -- warm, outgoing personality. I mean, when I think about the Nikkei who live here at Lakeshore, you strike me as someone always who, from the very beginning, would always say hello to me and talk to me and just a very friendly person. So I think that that is a wonderful legacy for you to leave to your children and grandchildren, just that warmth and friendliness and all that.

MK: Oh, I just love being with people and meeting new people. So I'm glad that my daughters picked Lakeshore for us because there are so many new friends. And you lose them, too, but we're not isolated. I can't imagine being alone in our old age. So I'm real lucky that they will do everything to make it comfortable for us.

BY: I was actually very worried about my dad after my mom went, but he is, he's doing great. He has lots of friends, he does lots of stuff.

MK: Oh, yeah, he's so active.

BY: But so are you.

MK: It's people like him that we met here that make it so enjoyable.

BY: Yeah, I think he would say the same.

MK: Especially being old, you just think about yourself and everything else, but it's so nice to have friends.

BY: Okay, well, thank you so much, Mary.

<End Segment 25> - Copyright © 2022 Densho. All Rights Reserved.