Eiko Arai Okuma

As a first generation immigrant from Japan, Eiko came to the United States for a better future. Japan was still recovering from World War II and the United States offered the American dream.

On September 4, 1964, Eiko married Edward Masao Okuma. Together they would build a life together and chase the American dream. On February 22, 1966, their first born son was born. Oakey Hiroshi Okuma and on May 5, 1969 their second son Casey Koji Okuma was born. Motherhood came natural to Eiko and once her two sons were in school, she needed something to pursue.

In the 1970’s she went to work at her older brother’s Japanese restaurant and learned how to run a restaurant. Then on September 13, 1979 she opened her own Japanese restaurant and ran the day to day operations while Edward remained in the background doing the books and payroll. Eiko worked tirelessly for 9 years without taking a vacation and in 1988 sold the restaurant.

Once Eiko sold the restaurant she took a month long vacation. Her destination was to visit Japan. The country she left more than two decades ago. Once she came back, Japan was no longer home. She had been a green card holder since arriving in America and in 1988 she applied for citizenship. After 15 long years, she officially became a naturalized United States citizen in 2003.

In the 1990’s she worked for a Japanese company. Her primary job was packaging merchandise and she continued working there until she retired.

On November 8, 2018, she lost her husband from a heart attack and then moved to Arizona to live with her oldest son Oakey. Eiko passed on August 12, 2026 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease.