Oba

Keiko Osafune was born in Japan. She had six siblings and lived through Hiroshima. She met a young Navy man named Felix who grew up on a farm in North Dakota. They fell in love and moved to the United States to start a family. Kay and Felix had four children, the youngest of which is my husband, Warren.

Felix travelled a lot when the kids were young. Whenever I think I have it rough, I think about Kay being in a new country with four kids under the age of 5. She ran a tight ship and set the housekeeping bar higher than I will ever reach!

She was generous and kind. It may not have always been easy to understand what she was saying, but her smile and laugh were easy to read. She treated me like part of her family from day one, to which I was always grateful.

Luckily, Kay loved long road trips and could read a map like no other. She crossed the country on several occasions to visit us. She also inspired us to cross the country several times in her direction.

A week did not pass without a phone call or a package from Kay, who we all referred to as Oba (Japanese for grandmother).

After battling cancer for almost two years, Kay died peacefully last night surrounded by Felix, her four children, a son-in-law, one daughter-in-law, and five of her nine grandchildren.

There's a giant hole in our hearts right now. She will be greatly missed, and thought of often.


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