Good-bye Aunt Lisa

My mom called me today to tell me that her Aunt Lisa passed away.

I think I had met her one time when I went to Hawaii in 1996.  I'll have to dig out a photo and ask my mom.

This is a photo of her on her wedding day in 1953:

Tokyo, January 1953

The little girl in the front of Aunt Lisa is my auntie Reiko (my mom's older sister).  The woman peeking from behind is my grandmother Misa.  The little boy is my uncle Koichi (my mom's older brother).  Mom is not born yet.  The three ladies in kimonos are Aunt Lisa's Aunts.  Her mother passed away at a young age.

My mother recently sent this photo to my aunt in Japan.  She remembers this day clearly.  We cannot tell this, because the photo is in black and white, but her dress is actually mint green.  It was sewn by my grandmother.

She remembers when she left for America with her new husband Uncle Jody. She was wearing a beautiful winter white coat.  Her fingernails were painted red, and she wore two diamond rings.  Mom says this photo does not display her real beauty.  Back in those days, no one dressed as flashy as her.  She drove a hardtop bright blue Cadillac like the one my father had.

The store behind them was called the Sasaki Shop, named after our family name.  It sold jackets and other goods to the American military stationed in the area.

Rest in Peace, Aunt Lisa.  You are unforgettable!

-Ereina