NVC Foundation Japanese American Memorial Wall

March 1912 - April 1942
Keiji Saito was born in Seattle on March 16, 1912 to Ichiemon and Kiku Saito. He was one of six children. As a young boy, his family leased the Houghton Greenhouses on Lake Washington Boulevard until they returned to Fukushima Ken, Japan, where he got his education. He returned to Seattle in 1933 and worked as an office clerk at North Coast Importing Company.
His interests were photography, kendo, golf, fishing, playing mah jong and hana with friends.
On May 15, 1938, he married Kane (Connie) Yabuki. Mitsue (later changed to "Mitzi"), their first child, was born April 19, 1939. The family's first house was on 18th and King Streets.
World War II began December 7, 1941.

May 1942 - September 1944
Evacuation to the Puyallup Assembly Center took place in May 1942. They were subsequently interned at 42-12-F, Minidoka, from 1942 to 1944.
During these years, Keiji worked in the co-op office and, in his spare time, used scrap lumber to build projects. He, along with attorney, Mr. Clauson, took care of business matters for North Coast Importing Co. while Mr. Tadashi Yamaguchi was interned at Bismarck, N.D.
Daughter, Nancy, was born August 14, 1943.
Keiji left Minidoka and relocated to Spokane in September 1944, and Connie and the two girls joined him in November.

October 1944 - May 1982
After moving to Spokane, Keiji worked in a laundry for a few months, then operated North Coast Supply Co.
Daughter, Barbara, was born Oct. 23, 1945 and died June 30, 1947.
Son, Warren, was born on May 14, 1951.
Keiji returned to Seattle to work at North Coast Importing Co. in December 1958. The rest of the family joined him a short time later. He remained employed at North Coast Importing Co. until he suffered a massive heart attack and stroke on November 11, 1979.
He lived in the family's home at 6617 Beacon Avenue South until his death, May 23, 1982. His survivors were: his wife, Connie; children, Mitzi, Nancy (and husband, John), and Warren; and grandsons, Bryan, Jeff, and Craig.