<Begin Segment 11>

LD: Is there anything else you'd like to say about Mary about what she did with you in the store, with the kids?

HT: She was a backbone. She was there all the time by my side, yeah, all the time, you know. She was a great help, and she was a good mother, good mother to the kids. But as I say, we sure miss her. But you know, she passed away doing what she loved best, playing golf. Yeah, it's another thing that morning it was the Swingers, it was our mixed club league. Usually, well, another thing is on that club they always wanted me to go out first, so I have to come in and help, do the recording and things. That's fine, I said, you know. But then so Mary and I, we would go together. So I'm always the first one up. I never know when she's going to be, what course she's going to be on. We usually ride, so usually, so I go and get a cart for myself, and then she'd have to wait knowing whether she'd golf with you to wait to see if to get the cart. But that particular morning, we went early and, so I told... I don't know what made me say this, I said, "Well, Mary why don't you get a cart too, and I'll get a cart. And then when you get a cart, you can practice, you know. And then whoever is going to be your partner, they can pay you," you know. Well, that's a good idea, so we both got a cart. So we went out to, not driving range but chip and putt. So like I said, we're early so she'd chip and putt. And then of course, I'm on the first tee. On that particular day, she was on the second foursome so I teed up. "Good luck," she said and then I took off and she followed me on the foursome, you know. And that's where she felt bad on the first, second hole, first, second, second hole. And of course, there were men and women, so she was riding with, I think was Amy and Yosh and Dan was on this side, two foursome. And on her I think it was the second or the third shot Yosh says, "Watch it Mary," you know, and she kind of whiffed a couple, three times. So Yosh told Dan, "I don't think Mary, that's not Mary. She never quits like that. I'm going to see what happened." So Yosh drove over there and asked Mary, "Don't you feel good?" "Yeah, I don't feel good," she says, "so I think I'm going to pick up," you know. So, "Okay, then I'll take you in." She said, "No, that's okay, but I'll ride with you," because she was there with the cart. So she went and rode with her and then went down that second hole and kept conversing, you know. And then on the third hole, it's par 3, they're going to try to draw my attention, but then I'd already teed up, you see. She finished the third hole, coming up the fourth hole, up the fourth hole. You're about halfway up, she won't respond. Yosh kept on, she won't respond anymore, so he said, "Oh, she's probably feel being bad." So he drove up there to the green which I was just getting ready to putt, so I told them I'm going to finish up putting first and then I'm going to take Mary in. So, okay. So I finished putting, and then I went to the cart. "Well, how do you feel?" you know. Well, before she answered she said, "Well, she's not feeling, so you better get a doctor, you better call 911, you better do this." In the meantime, I put my bag on the cart, and then so I drove to the parking lot and get her in the car. So I said, "Come on Mary, let's go." I talked to her to go in, and she just didn't respond. Oh, this gal is sick, so I just carried her, put her on the seat and then I just drove her emergency to the hospital. Our doctor lived in between the golf course. I don't know what made me take her directly to the... so I just drove fast as I could to the emergency, and then it was only three or four minutes, it was close. And I went there and here comes a couple doctors and nurses or whatever. Then they asked me what's her name. I said her name is Mary. "So how do you feel, Mary?" and no response, so they took her in. And I go in the waiting room, wait and wait and nobody comes back. The nurse go back and forth. I said, "Well, how she's doing?" The nurse finally says -- this is about half an hour later -- she says, "Well, you better check with the doctor." And the doctor came out about an hour later and says, "Well, she's not doing too well." They had to do something, but some kind of treatment to check her but they didn't have that, so they had to take her to Providence, you know. Providence didn't have it either. They said, "We don't have room or the doctors." What do you mean? We got a lady that's really sick, you know. So they finally they took her down there. But she never recovered, she never recovered. But I kept thinking, as I think back now, at least she passed on doing what she loved best, you know. But it's been what, almost two years now, two months next month. But we had a good life and good kids, you know.

LD: You have a wonderful family, and I think it's with your grandchildren --

HT: Yeah, yeah.

LD: Very special.

HT: Keep me going. [Laughs]

LD: Well, thank you for your time today.

HT: Oh, I enjoyed visiting with you. It's nice.

LD: Any last things you want to say?

HT: Oh, I think number one, take care of your person, your health is most important. Number two, education, and know something that Issei really instilled on us that I'll never forget. You look back, all the Isseis, that was their number one priority. Well, thank you very much.

LD: Thank you. I think you're right. We, your grandchildren have heard these stories from you and have been able to be successful because of what your parents did and you did and you and Mary and their parents. It's what makes this kind of a thing very special to be able to tell your story for them.

<End Segment 11> - Copyright © 2003 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.