Richard Kazuo Oye

Richard Kazuo Oye, 84, passed away at home in Lake Stevens, WA. He was born on February 10, 1930 in Modesto, California to Jun and Tsunetaro Oye.

In his youth, his family was in a Japanese internment camp in Rohwer, Arkansas during WWll. His family eventually moved to Walla Walla. He later served in the Army during the Korean War. He married Aileen Ohashi on August 12, 1961. Together they farmed for many years raising Walla Walla Sweet onions.

The farming schedule allowed him to be very involved in his daughters’ sporting events during the school year. He was always present at their volleyball and basketball games. He continued to follow the WA-HI teams long after his daughters had graduated. After he retired from farming, he was finally able to take summer vacations with the family. He went to Cannon Beach, OR almost every summer for years. He traveled to Canada, Japan, and Australia. He also went on several charted fishing trips in the Seattle area. Fishing was a passion of his and he went every chance he could get.

Richard is survived by his wife, Aileen; two daughters, Roxanne Lake and Michele Dahlquist. He has four grandchildren, Kevin Lake, Christopher Lake, Karina Dahlquist, and Kayla Dahlquist; his sister, Barbara Hamada and several nieces and nephews.

The memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 28, 2014 at 2:30 pm at the Herring-Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla, WA 98362. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Walla Walla Community Hospice through the funeral home.