<Begin Segment 27>

TI: I now want to talk about your family. So when did you meet your wife?

TM: Oh, this was in camp. [Laughs]

TI: And so how, how did you meet your wife in camp?

TM: Well, all that family, Watsonville people, were in block, in that same block as I was in. So I worked in the kitchen, she worked in the kitchen and just nothing else to do, just conversation, this and that.

TI: So she was from Watsonville, also?

TM: Yeah, she was from Watsonville.

TI: And so what was your wife's name?

TM: Kikue Yamamoto.

TI: And so you started dating your wife in camp.

TM: Yeah.

TI: And then you, did you get married in camp also?

TM: Yeah.

TI: So describe that. How was a wedding done in camp?

TM: Just, nothing big, I didn't want anything big, so I just told the reverend, "We're gonna get married," so we got married.

TI: So where did you get married?

TM: At the, in our block.

TI: So in, like, the mess hall?

TM: Yeah, mess hall. Just nothing, you know, we went out on our honeymoon to Salt Lake City, took about a week off.

TI: And so then after you were married, did they give you your own apartment?

TM: Yeah.

TI: So you had your own apartment. And then your, your children, when did you start having children?

TM: Oh, a year later. Come back, we came back in... what year was it? Let's see, '45, we come back in '45.

TI: So can you tell me the names of your children?

TM: Marvin is the oldest one. Then Steve and Bud.

TI: Okay, and so Steve's the one who kind of farmed with you.

TM: He lives, yeah. Well, we, I told him, "Instead of farming, you could find a job," and then I live with him -- he lives with me now. He got married, but he had one son, he got divorced, so he's living with me.

TI: And how many grandchildren do you have?

TM: Six. Let's see, I have, Buddy, Buddy has four, he's in San Jose, he has a CPA firm. And Marvin, he has two... I have seven, and Steve has one, one boy.

TI: Okay, so seven.

TM: Seven grandkids.

TI: That's great. And is your wife still living?

TM: No, I lost her December 6, let's see, thirteen years, this year would be thirteen years. Let's see, what year is that? I forgot. Anyways, thirteen years.

TI: So that'd be... oh, I can't do the math, but yeah.

<End Segment 27> - Copyright ©2008 Densho and the Watsonville - Santa Cruz JACL. All Rights Reserved.