Rei Kihara Osaki

OSAKI-Rei Kihara Osaki, of Pasadena passed away at her home on November 15, 2006, at the age of 88. Born in Wapeto, Washington, Rei was the only daughter of three children born to Japanese immigrants and grew up on a farm outside of an Indian reservation in Harrah, WA. Although she did not speak English until the third grade, her goal in life was to "make a difference and change things in our world." Rei graduated from Washington State University with a bachelor's degree in 1940 and continued her education at the University of Idaho College of Law (UI Law School). She went on to become the fourth woman to graduate from the UI Law School and the sixteenth woman admitted to the Idaho State Bar in 1943. In 2005, Rei ret urned to Idaho where she was honored by the Idaho State Bar and UI Law School as one of "The First 50 Women in Idaho Law." Rei was also a member of the Washington State Bar. Upon the relocation of Rei's family to an internment camp during WW II, she moved to Chicago and worked as an attorney for the Federal Government with the Office of Price Administration (OPA). During her tenure with the OPA, Rei appeared before the Federal District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals. It was in Chicago that she met her husb and, Harry Osaki, a silver and goldsmith. Rei and Harry moved to Pasadena in 1947, where Rei decided that practicing law was not her life's passion, but immersing herself in a multitude of community organizations and political activities would be. Over the course of 50 years, Rei raised her three children and became involved in local organizations like Mother's Club Community Center, YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley, Pacific Oaks College and School, and American Friends Service Committee, to name a few. Rei's activities extended to the national level where she lobbied as a member of the Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR), culminating with then President Ronald Reagan signing into law the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, which included a national apology to all Japanese-Americans who were relocated to internment camps during WWII. After the death of her husband, Harry, Rei developed an interest in painting, especially watercolors, displaying her work in the Pasadena area. Rei lived a life with a deep sense of community and to assist the impoverished to have the opportunity to gain the skills and resources to succeed. Rei is survived by her three sons, Dale (Ann), Harry Stuart (Daryl) and Charles (Sandy), seven grand children, Jessica Osaki Howell (Houston), Trent & Andrew, Harrison & Elizabeth, Jennifer & Trevor and great grandchild, Justus Chancellor Howell. A memorial service will be held on Friday, December 1, 2006, at 10:00 AM, Neighborhood Church, located at 301 N. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91103. I n lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Rei Osaki's name, to Mother's Club Community Center, 526 E. Orange Grove Blvd., Pasadena CA, 91104, YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley, 1200 N. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 91103 or NCRR, 231 E. Third St., #G104, Los Angeles, CA 90013.