<Begin Segment 17>

LT: As you look back on your life, how would you say your wartime experience affected who you are now?

DS: Yeah, I think that what we went through should never have happened. And I think, you're right, Linda, I think it affects you as person growing up. I was only in my teens when the war broke out, and it was a very vulnerable age. I think it has, in everything I've done, it probably has affected me without saying this is what happened. I think unconsciously, my actions and everything, I think it reflects my past: my growing up in Seattle, went through the war, living as long as I am, I think it has affected me in many ways that I can't put my finger on.

LT: What do you think your grandchildren and others should learn about Japanese Americans?

DS: Yes. I think like Densho and Oregon Nikkei, I think they're great in pursuing that the people should know what happened. I strongly believe in that. I want my grandchildren, every one of them, to know what happened, to read, and to reflect on it; what can happen to you. My oldest granddaughter graduated Gonzaga last year, and she was working in Spokane up to several weeks ago when she finally moved back to Portland, she wanted to be closer to her family and she just got a job last week, so she's really happy about that. She worked at an ad agency. And my second granddaughter, she's a senior, a very good journalist. Her writings are just way up there. And she puts herself into projects; like if I told her, "Julianne, look into this." I mean, the evacuation, she'd go all out. She'd write papers and papers and papers on it, she's that way. She's a thinker, and she goes after everything. My grandson Zach is a junior in high school at Lake Oswego. He plays varsity basketball and varsity football, and is getting right there where he's going to take the SAT and all that, so he's thinking college and getting to be involved with thinker. He's athletically inclined, so he spends a lot of time, which I think is great, his commitment to athletics will help in this world as a citizen. But I do want them to know what happened to my generation; I do want them to know that. And I will make it a point for them to know, to learn more about it. I do believe that the public should be made aware of what happened. And everybody doesn't know. Do you know that one of the encyclopedias, I think it's the Britannica -- I may be mistaken in that -- does not have one mention of evacuation? Isn't that interesting? In all their volumes of books, it doesn't mention it. I think it was the Britannica, I'm not quite sure.

LT: What's important in life?

DS: For me now as a ninety-year-old, to live every day. And don't let things get you down. I have three great grandchildren, I mean, grandchildren who are great kids. And my kids, Gordon is next door, Peggy is in Salem, and Sally, and I see them all the time. And I'm content. I live in a beautiful place, and I can't... I see the mountain every day, Mount Hood is in my backyard, and I love where I live. I am content.

LT: Thank you so much.

DS: Thank you, Linda.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2013 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.