Kayko Kase-Memorial Life Story-Seattle,WA.

Please sign Kay's Guest Book

Finally after many reports of this monk's fortitude reached my great ancestor's ear, and then my grand ancestral grandfather, left the castle and went to listen to this monk, that had so far survived in the snow for a few months. Upon hearing the words of enlightenment, my ancestor grandfather bowed to the monk, and the entire village also bowed, lower than the both the monk and my grand father. Rizoman declared Buddhism as the chief doctrine of the village, and donated our family's entire mountain to the Buddhist monk to build Temples to the Buddha. Presently there are over 300 shrines on the mountain, and our shrine is the first one, dedicated to our Samurai family, Hotokoindam. Our house mark or coat-of-arms, are two golden eagles wing tips interlocked like fingers. Three ruling samurai families, the Hori, Ito and Otaka family.

Kayko Kase/Kay Kase graduated from Tokyo Business College and worked at the Imperial Hotel in Japan, 1943, which was built by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Kayko married into a prominent Jewish family from Wulumstorf Germany who owned a Timber Company. Kayko was the mother of two loving children her loving daughter and son . She presently has 11 grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She moved to Seattle, WA. and graduated from Mary Stone Beauty College in the 1960's.
And also studied in London at Vidal Sasoon's School, where she was his interpreter while living in England.

Madison Park's residence were her family and mine. We sure had some great times with our friends like Marilou, Johnny-san Mimi-san, Kirby, Vera,Cheryl, Lois, Fee Fee, John Chen, Ritsuko-san, Mary Kaye, Nancy, Wyse Family, Lola and Mrs. Washington are just a few of her greatest friends. It was a tremendous experience working with my mother. Everyday was an adventure, with special guests arriving. Some worked for Columbia Picture's as understudies, Nordstrom and Sears models. Life was never dull at Kayko's on Madison Avenue. I want to take the time to thank all of you, for making my mom's life so full of happiness. We loved all you, and always will.

Kayko Kase 1953
Port Estrella-Territory of Alaska

Kayko I. Kase's memorial is in our family cemetary at Ocean View Cemetery in
Port Angeles, WA.
Services: 1:00 P.M. October 1st 2007
360-417-4565

Everyday was a gift to share and heal with my mother. She was my closet friend and passed away surrounded with my voice telling her stories about our life. How she was a great mother and that I loved her. She told me everyday, that I was a good daughter, and thanked me for saving her life. But actually my mother saved me.

I grew deeper in love with my mother Kayko as the years went by. We took many trips together to Hawaii and she had plenty of fun. Even though sometimes she didn't remember our trip, or that I was her daughter. It didn't matter, she trusted me with her life. I grew up after my own stroke and memory loss. I became a woman of great compassion and patience as I watched Alzheimer's Disease rob a little more of my mother everyday. She was a gift of joy, in spite of the disease and together we over came the outbursts of anger, fear and hallucinations. We over came all obstacles in our relationship, because love was the foundation of our relationship. I became a woman, healed in the mercy of my mother's blessings. As I watched her life force leave her body, we both knew...our love was eternal.

Before she passed away, mother grabbed my hand with the last bit of strength she had, and kiss it and touched my fingertips to her forehead. This is a traditional blessing of the Buddhist culture. She squeezed my fingers and smiled, telling me without words, "You're a fine daughter and thank you for all that you have done. " Then she let go of my hand. She could no longer swallow, so I dripped water from my finger tips onto her tongue. Here was my mother old like the earth, the mother who gave me life and suckled me at her breasts. My mother, my teacher, my joy and heart, touched everyone with that special ray of sunshine, that shone so brightly inside her soul. I love you mom...never will I forget how great a woman you are. No one loved you more than me.

Even though this story seems sad, it has a happy ending, because Kay Kase was happy until the end.

Dearest Mother, you are always in our hearts-
Love your daughter & son, xoxox

My mother Kayko I. Kase was born Tsugiko Ito Otaka June 02, 1922, in the small village of Kitsuki-ken Japan. She was the daughter of a prominent surgeon Dr. Tsunagi (Steady Nature)Otaka and her mother was Tatsu (Dragon)Hori, the mayor's daughter. Later her mother's sister was barren, so Kayko was adopted into the Ito family to give them an heir. She had two sisters Hatsuko and Michiko.
Kayko's grand ancestor was Rizoman Otaka, Castle Master or Ruling Samurai nobility of this Southern Island Village. Only samurai's families had last names.

He was named Rizoman which means (Holder of the Dharma); since during a violent storm a Chinese Buddhist monk crashed upon the rocky shores of their island. Shintoism was the chief doctrine at this time, however the Chinese monk sat in the snow and taught the teachings of Lord Buddha in their town. The villagers threw rocks and sticks at the monk, but he still continued to the teach the ways of compassion.

Her greatest joy was serving the public and was well known in Madison Park, in Seattle, WA. She was hairdresser and owner of Kayko's.

She had over 4,000 exclusive clients, and they all loved her great sense of humor and dedication to each person, including Beverly Sills whom I also adored.

Tragedy struck the family, when both her niece Toshiko and nephew Matatoshi died at 50 with strokes. Then after loosing her sister's children Kayko Kase, had a stroke in 2000.

3 months later her son had a stroke and then finally her only daughter had stroke 6 months later.

Daughter stated, "After I recovered and went to see my mother when I could finally drive my truck and see again. I was very weak still physically. When I arrived at my mother's home, I was horrified."

Kayko hadn't been diagnosed yet with Early-onset-Alzheimer's Disease which was devastating.

She met her daughter at the door, dressed in old clothes, with bleach stains and the holes sewn up with heavy yarn. Her toenails had grown so long that they curled up in her shoes. Kay's teeth hadn't been brushed in 2 years and the room was filled with piles of molded bread and rotten food.

Daughter reported, "My mother was so happy to see me, and then she sat down, in front of the television, which had been disconnected, and was watching a movie-which wasn't playing on the screen." She continued, "

"Then the telephone rang, and it was a bill collector. Hot tears streamed down my face, and my heart scattered. Why didn't anyone help her? I later discovered that mother's Alzheimer's had caused many of her friends and family to scatter because of the violent mood swings. Every nurse had quit also. They just gave up on her. No one is to blame, I'm sure they tried their best. My nephews told me, she'd hit the nurses with her cane, and my brother and grand children with the plastic base ball bat near the door.

No one wanted to visit anymore, and nobody knew she had Alzheimer's.

My mother put her head down and lowered her eyes and said,"No one wants me."

I knelt down in front of my mother and put her tiny hands into both of my hands, and replied,"I want you mother, let's go home."

I felt so sorry for my mom, and this is where a daughter's love is tested and proven greater. When I was young girl my mother would take me to elderly people's homes, and she'd cook and clean their homes. Mother would cut their hair, wash their bodies, cut their nails, and offer them assistance. She didn't charge them any money either. I asked my mother why she did this? Kayko said,"Because it's the right thing to do."

Beverly Sills-US
Opera Singer

Kay Kase's only daughter graduated from Medical School and is a spokesperson, raising public awareness about Alzheimer's Disease, which robbed her mother, of her precious memories. She is an educational film producer/director and makes documentaries.

Daughter: I'd pick my mother up at 9:30 A.M. at the Care Center and we'd go to Uwajimaya in Seattle and have sushi, and on other days back to the beach.

She lived in our home until her second stroke. She gathered her strength again and we were blessed with more time with Kayko. Even though her stay was brief at the Care Center. She make quite a big impact on their hearts.

"I think she must have been Cupid in disquise."

Some days she'd be dancing down the corridors with one of the R.Ns, in her wheel chair and savoring life to the very last drop.

They broke the mold when they made my mother. What a super woman.

To all the nurses, doctors and aids in Avalon Care Center in Federal Way and Franciscan-Hospice House in Tacoma, WA. Thank you for taking care of my mother Kay during these hard times. You are the most loving and caring people I know. Your support towards me and my mother, can never be repaid. Always your friend and extended family-

Kay Kase Family

New Tacoma Cemeteries and Funeral Homes
9212 Chamber Creek Rd. West
University Place, WA. 98476
253-564-1311

Daughter continues, "Faced with the seriousness in front of me, I made the only choice possible. I must do the right thing, and do my duty as a daughter, and protect the elderly in my family."

Kayko said to me,"Let's get well together."

This was the first time I really began to know who my mother was. Not as the woman who yelled at me, like mother's do to their children; but a warm and helpless lady, who for the first time in her own life, had to ask for help. And lucky for us both we were there for one another.

I could barely lift the wheelchair to push my mom out of my truck. We started walking only a block together as I pushed her, and then she'd try and walk a little more.

After one year of using each other as physical therapists, I was pushing her one mile and she was walking 1/2 mile along the waterfront at Owen's Beach with me, holding my hand; just like when I was a toddler.

I wanted my mother's last days on this earth to be happy. All the fights we had before just made us closer, as we laughed about how small we both were sometimes.

"My mother Kayko wanted her Alzheimer's Disease to be openly discussed, perhaps to help even one person and their families seek out help and counseling. I received thank you letters world-wide from people who have seen our educational films, which Kayko helped to make. She was still trying to serve the public up to her very last breath.

Welcome to Kayko's on Madison Avenue!
Please come in...

Kitsuki Castle

Kayko I. Kase Memorial-Seattle,WA.

Kayko Kase smiling at her daughter 2005

Kayko Kase Kay Kase