NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

Born March 24, 1935, to Heitaro and Kei Hikida, she spent her early years in the Seattle area. She was interned with her family at Camp Minidoka, Block 19, in early 1942. She, with her family, returned to the Seattle area in the fall of 1945 and attended Bailey Gatzert Grade School, Washington Junior High School, and Cleveland High School, graduating in 1953. She attended the University of Washington, graduating with a BA in Physical Education in 1957. She was employed as a teacher by the Seattle school district, working at Mercer Junior High School until she married Jimmy Yoshinaka in 1966. Except for the time Jimmy was in SEA, she accompanied him throughout his various assignments around the world. She especially enjoyed being able to see sights that she had only heard of before, including tours through Southeast Asia (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Penang Island); elements of Japan, Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, and England; and the East Coast of the USA. She likes to travel and has been to New Zealand, Australia, and India. However she likes Hawaii the best. She gave birth to Thomas Derek in 1970 at the Tachikawa AB, Hospital in Japan. And along with T. Derek and Jimmy, returned to the Seattle area in 1979 where she enjoys being in close contact with her siblings, childhood friends and playing golf.