NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

Yoshitami (Charlie) Ogohara was born to Masako and Shikano Ogohara in Seattle, Washington on February 6, 1910. He was the first born and brother to 4 sisters, Masako, Yae, Sadako, and Katsuko. He was sent back to Japan for school in elementary through high school. He returned to Seattle after high school in 1929 and took up several trades and sales jobs. He became very proficient at billiards and relied on his skills to supplement his income in Seattle, until becoming a chef. The family was sent to the Minidoka internment camp and later Charlie was sent to Ft. Missoula prison for disagreeing with his internment. After the war he met and married Kazue Yoshizumi in Seattle and relocated to Spokane, Washington where they bought a house on the lower south hill and they raised two sons, Steve July 13, 1949 and Victor September 3, 1950. They also took care of Kazue's parents, Isaku and Miju Yoshizumi at the home until they passed. Yoshitami worked 6 days a week at the Davenport Hotel in downtown Spokane for 15 years and later worked at the Ridpath Motor Inn also in downtown Spokane and always took the bus to and from work, he would catch the bus at 1pm and would be back home at 11pm. They always had time on Sundays to visit the lake in the summers and take vacations to wonderful places like Yellowstone NP or California and Seattle to visit relatives. He also visited a long time friend in Spokane. He retired in 1980. Yoshitami and Kazue belonged to the Spokane Buddhist church and enjoyed travelling and sightseeing in their retirement. He loved to cook at home and celebrated birthdays with the boys when he could. After much prodding by his two boys to play billiards at the local bowling alley, he showed what a professional pocket billiards player could do. Never to be asked again to play with the boys.
They were blessed with a granddaughter in 1985 and enjoyed their time with her at church outings and some travels. Yoshitami passed of natural causes on May 11, 2000 in Spokane Washington.