NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

Kazue Ogohara (Yoshizumi) was born in Seattle Washington on March 20, 1919 to Isaku and Miju Yoshizumi. Her parents immigrated from Japan and settled in Kent
Washington on their small parcel of land. Kazue graduated from Kent High School in 1937, she was involved in drama and chorus. When WWII broke out, She was sent to an internment camp at Tule Lake along with their parents, 3 brothers and 2 sisters. She was able to take a job in Chicago until the end of WWII. She returned to Seattle and met Yoshitami Ogohara and were wed in 1947. They later moved to Spokane, Washington and raised 2 boys, Steve and Victor and also her parents, Isaku and Miju Yoshizumi until their passing in 1955 and 1961 respectfully. Kazue was a homemaker until the boys were in high school. She then was employed as a bookkeeper at the Crescent department store in downtown Spokane. Kazue retired around 1984 and enjoyed travelling and sightseeing. She enjoyed her grand daughter and would often baby sit. They even took her with them on some bus cruises around the U.S. She never learned to drive a car and was always happiest when travelling, even if it was to the grocery store. She was involved with the Spokane Buddhist church celebrations. She loved preparing a traditional Japanese New Years dinner every year. They moved into a condo on the lower south hill after their home was bought from the hospital. Kazue passed from a long illness of stomach cancer on July 14, 1999