<Begin Segment 14>

MA: And do you remember meeting your husband for the first time?

MY: No, I think it was arranged through his brother. His brother I used to see before my husband was discharged, 'cause he was coming down to the Y. And so I think he... he's younger, he was his younger brother, so I think he was looking for somebody for his older brother. [Laughs]

MA: And was your husband in the MIS?

MY: Uh-huh.

MA: Did he serve overseas?

MY: In Japan. He served in Tokyo for about a year, I think.

MA: During the American occupation of Japan?

MY: Uh-huh.

MA: What did he tell you about that? Did he ever talk about it?

MY: He never talked much, and he didn't like, he didn't want to have anything to do with the service. He didn't even want to be buried out at Fort Snelling. He just had something against the military, I guess.

MA: Do you know why?

MY: He never would talk, so I don't know why.

MA: In Minneapolis after the war, did you notice a lot of Niseis sort of leaving or moving back to the West Coast as they started opening it? And how did the community change in those years?

MY: I don't think... I'm not, I haven't been too close with the Japanese community, so I'm not sure. But seems to me like there weren't too many that were going back, they liked it here and started their families. So as far as I know, there weren't too many going back.

MA: And how long did you work at the Y?

MY: Let's see, '46 'til '52, I guess.

MA: And did you do the Y Teens that span of time?

MY: Uh-huh.

MA: Six years.

MY: Yeah. I used to take busloads of kids to conventions. And we did, I directed the Y camp for one summer when the camp director quit. So it was a variety of experiences.

MA: So you enjoyed working with the teenagers?

MY: Yes. I wouldn't now, but... [laughs] back then, yes. It was a challenge. You always have one or two that create a real challenge for you.

MA: That's what makes it interesting, I think.

MY: Right, right. Yeah.

MA: And tell me about your children. You have three children.

MY: Uh-huh.

MA: And when were they born and what are their names?

MY: Let's see. My oldest daughter was born in '52. What would that make her?

MA: Fifty-seven.

MY: That sounds about right. Then I have another daughter that's three years younger, and a son that, he must have been born in '47. No, he's ten years younger than the oldest one.

MA: So sixty-two?

MY: Yeah, I guess that's right, yeah. He just became a grandpa. [Laughs]

MA: And how many grandchildren do you have?

MY: I have seven grandchildren, and I lost count on the great-grandkids. [Laughs]

MA: It's a big family.

MY: My oldest daughter is the one that has all the kids and grandkids and great-grandkids. But my second daughter, she has two, a son, Matt, the one that's going to the U, and a daughter that I went to New York beginning of this month for her college graduation from Hunter College. She's going on to med. school. And then my son, his daughter graduated from the U, but she's working for Supervalu in, I don't know what capacity. And then his son is a pilot for Northwest, and my son's daughter's the one that just had the new addition.

MA: And after you left the Y, did you continue to work? I imagine it was because you had your daughter in '52?

MY: Yes. We were married in '50, and in '52, I think, I was expecting my first child, my daughter, so that's when I quit the Y.

MA: Did you go back to work after you had your kids?

MY: No. Later, after they were all out of, you know, up in years, I think my son was still in school when I went back to work. But I stayed home for the other two.

<End Segment 14> - Copyright ©2009 Densho and the Twin Cities JACL. All Rights Reserved.