Satsuki “Sally” Endo Hirai died peacefully on December 5, 2019. Born on May 10th, 1933 in Salinas, CA, Sally was the youngest of seven children. Her Mother and Father owned a boarding house, restaurant and bar in Salinas, but WWII internment policy forced the family to sell their business. The Endos were interned in Poston 2, Arizona from 1942-1945.
After internment, the Endo’s returned to Salinas and eventually moved to Prunedale, California, before finally settling in San Jose in 1948. Sally enjoyed swimming, tennis and playing basketball during her high school years. She attended San Jose State College, eventually receiving her nursing degree from Santa Clara County Hospital. She was a gifted public health nurse, serving the rural parts of Santa Clara.
In 1956, Sally moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington. Her friend, Sam Goto, introduced her to Tom Hirai, and they were married on February 14, 1960 at the San Jose Buddhist church. Tom built Sally their first brick house in Quincy, WA in 1960. The couple soon welcomed their daughter, Holly, and two sons also were eventually born: Blaine in 1962 and Todd in 1965. Sally and Tom both wanted their children raised in a diverse environment, eventually purchasing a 1927 seven-acre Tennessee Walker horse farm in Woodinville, WA. There the Hirai’s raised black angus cows, chickens, guinea hens, ducks, and horses. Sally had a particular affection for one black angus she named “Red.”
While Tom developed farmland in Quincy, Sally took care of the Woodinville livestock with the children, still finding time to play tennis and volunteer as a school nurse. Tom flew home on the weekends, and the whole family would spend summers in Quincy supporting the harvest. As a farm wife, Sally was responsible for running large onion hoeing crews, running to town to gets parts for the mechanics, and keeping the family fed during the long work days. She enjoyed countless farm cats and dogs to keep her company.
Over the years, Sally excelled in art classes, where she painted landscapes and sunsets. She also enjoyed sewing miniature bears, photography, hot air balloon rides, drives through the cascades to see the fall colors, singing karaoke, playing tennis with friends and taking her three children skiing in the winters.
In the 1980s Tom and Sally let go of raising livestock in Woodinville and moved to Bellevue. Tom and Sally also traveled abroad to Japan, Hawaii and China. They enjoyed cruises to Alaska and the Bahamas, spending time in California with her sisters and brothers and visiting Holly in Michigan.
Toward the end of her life, Sally spent extra time with her grandchildren, most often singing and playing ukulele. These fond memories were facilitated in Sally’s youth, when she worked alongside Hawaiians in the Salinas, CA celery packing plant. Sally was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in fall 2011. She spent the last years of her life at home with caretakers, and then in assisted living where she spent two months in hospice care before passing.
Sally is preceded in death by sisters, Michiko Endo, Sumie Endo and Sachyie Sugita; brothers Tetsu Endo, Katsuhiro Endo and Mitsuhiro Endo; father Kakuzo Endo; mother Tomo Endo; and granddaughter Maya Hirai. She is survived by sister Kaye Masatani; daughter Holly Hirai; son Blaine Hirai and grandson Brandon; son and daughter-in-law Todd and Esther Hirai and grandchildren Jacquueline, TJ and Ben.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, [email protected].
Dear Friends and Family,
Due to the COVID-19 virus epidemic we have decided to postpone Mom and Dad’s Memorial Service on March 14th. We may reschedule for a later date. Being that Mom was a retired public health nurse she would agree with us to put our friends and family’s health first.
Thank you,
Holly, Blaine and Todd
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