Mae Tsuiko Griffith (Matsumoto), age 96, passed away on May 21, 2018 in Yakima, WA. Mae was born on March 1, 1922 in Olaa, Hawaii on the Big Island to her father and mother, Inokichi Matsumoto and Tatsu Matsumoto (Horikawa).
Mae completed school through the 8th grade, and then worked to help her family. As of today, the school is still there. She and her mother would catch a truck to work in the sugar cane fields in the early morning. This work, which included bending over and cutting the cane to throw in the truck, was hard, hot, and sweaty. The truck would then head to the C & H sugar plant where the sugar cane was processed. One of her favorite memories included sitting on their home step drinking a Coca Cola with her mom after a hard day of work.
At the age of 16 she went to work for a family in their Hilo home, but got home sick and returned to Olaa.
Mae left her home on the Big Island to move to Honolulu where her first job was working at a soda fountain, which she didn’t find very exciting. Mae learned to waitress working at the officer’s club at Fort DeRussy, which she came to enjoy because of its fast-paced nature and the fact that she got to meet new people. After, she found work at the Monte Carlo restaurant where she met her husband, who was stationed in Pearl Harbor. Mae and her husband married April 27, 1951 and moved to Yokosuka, Japan, where he was temporarily stationed in 1952. They then moved to San Diego for two years before moving to Fallon, Nevada. From Fallon, they moved to Yakima where they took up permanent residency.
Mae retired from St. Elizabeth Hospital after working 25 years in housekeeping and from there enjoyed taking care of her grandchildren.
Mae led a life of love; everything she did, she did out of love. She had a way about her that brought so much joy to everyone she met. She had a genuine heart which showed when she always thought of family and others before herself. For this, her generosity will never be forgotten.
Mae was strong, energetic, and a very hard worker; she could never sit down for very long. She enjoyed being active and found pleasure working in her yard and garden. She was most fond of roses, snap dragons, and carnations. Mae had a way of doing things, such as cleaning, ironing, and working in her yard, with perfection and utmost beauty. The amount of passion and care put into everything she accomplished was catching.
Mae is survived by her two daughters and two sons: Sarah Nelson, Sandy Kaschmitter (Paul), Ronald Okura (Carol), and Robert Okura; grandchildren: Darin (Laurel), Danielle, Guy (Sharon), Scotty (Yuko), Aaron, Ipo (Kelii), and Hokolani (Paul); and eleven great grandchildren: Kailer and Kade; James, Matthew, and Logan; Charlie and Kyrah; Jet, Ayanna, Elena, and Raizen.
Mae is preceded in death by her husband, Carl; sisters Nancy Ogaswara, Amy Iseri, and Itsuko Ito; brother Kazuichi Matsumoto; and her parents.
A private service will be held in June 2018 at Tahoma Cemetery in Yakima.
Forever in our hearts. We will miss you so much.
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