gotohealth's Blog

Yesterday, August 2025, cousins from my mom’s youngest brother, Frank, came for a visit from Hawaii & Portland. We shared stories about their mom, Alice. My memories start with my excitement when the parents got married on January 27th, 1947 in Ontario, Eastern Oregon. I was eight-years-old. It was one of the first social events in our Japanese community in the local paper, the Ontario Argus Observer.

Especially, thrilling was being dressed with the long pretty pink dress that my mother made of sheer pink organza over pink nylon and the gold locket that I got for being flower girl. It was 4pm, and just like we had rehearsed, but now I had real rose petals in my basket. I went down the aisle first, scattering the petals along the way as I made my way way to the front of the guests sitting on folding chairs in two sections at the Ontario Women’s Club. Uncle Frank Tsukamaki married Auntie Alice Mizomoto and she became part of our family.

 

My parents were poor, so poor that we lived in a one-room farmhouse, 30 miles south across the Snake River into Idaho.  We had an outhouse, a wood/coal stove, no running hot water and no telephone. But, I never felt poor because of people in my life like Auntie Alice. From the time they were engaged Auntie took me shopping.

 

That first Easter after they married, Auntie bought me this wonderful rayon, yellow dress. The next Easter, it was a pink one. I remember, she picked me up from the farm in Sand Hollow, Idaho, and drove me to Boise. My sister, Kathy - five years younger than me, got dresses too.

 

Another incident, five years later - we had moved to Ontario by then, they dropped by our house after a summer vacation trip to California. Kathy spotted a Terri Lee Doll in the back of their station wagon. All of Kathy’s friends had the doll and she was dying for one. Auntie Alice had bought it for Christmas and I knew it.  We had an Ouiji Board and that night Kathy asked if the doll was for her and when she would get it. The answer was, “Tomorrow.” I didn’t believe it but Uncle Frank found out she had seen the doll and gave it to her the next day. I got a rhinestone necklace that was my favorite piece of jewelry for years. 

 

In 1993, when Auntie Alice turned 70-years-old we had a reunion at Sugai’s Eastside Cafe in Ontario. I went to JAE AWARDS, here in Seattle’s Beacon Hill, owned by the John Shigaki family. I had the trophy inscribed with the tribute: WORLD’S GREATEST ENCOURAGER!

 

I gave a toast, “You are remembered most for your complete dedication to helping and encouraging your husband and four children to accomplish successful lives. You were always known to be the most vocal and enthusiastic fan at all three boy’s ball games for years. It’s about time you have a trophy of your own, like the ones all over your house. You helped your family win. We could all learn a few skills from the WORLD’S GREATEST ENCOURAGER. Everyone needs an Auntie Alice!”