NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

My father Dr. Kazuto Harada was born October 1, 1904 in Kumamoto, Japan. He was one of seven children born to Shokuji and Suma Harada.

At the age of 15, he came to America to build his future. He was a 1926 graduate of Queen Anne High School During his final year at North Pacific Dental College of Oregon in 1932, he met and fell in love with Mitaka Harada. They were married on August 3, 1932. A son Kazuhiko was born June 23, 1933 but passed away of brain cancer at the age of 5.

"Doc" as he was fondly known, had his practice on Jackson Street. It wasn't unusual for him to bring home a dozen fresh, farm eggs, a chicken, or garden vegetables as payment for his dental services. With the signing of Executive Order 9066, Dad stored his dental equipment at Seattle Buddhist Church. He and Mother were assigned to the Puyallup Assembly Center and later interned at Minidoka, Idaho. Daughter Dorothy was born at camp in 1944.

After the war, the young family returned to Seattle where he resumed his dental practice. When a change in U.S. law allowed Asian immigrants to become citizens, Dad proudly became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

In the fall 1954, he realized his dream of designing and building his own medical-dental clinic. Never dwelling on the past, he always looked forward in life. He passed away the following spring on April 15, 1955 at the age of 50 from lymphosarcoma.

Dad loved fishing, both for trout on the Skykomish River and for salmon on Elliott Bay. He shared and passed that love on to his daughter. He loved to entertain, could weave a great story, and was the only one who could really make Mother laugh. Dad had a wonderful sense of humor. I remember how he used to delight children by finding coins behind their ears and the look of wonder in their eyes.

Dr. Harada was a member of the Seattle Dental Society and served 2 years as District Boy Scout Commissioner, but will best be remembered as a devoted husband and father and as a man who had a vision for his family as Americans.