Linda Mitsuko Teal
Aug. 1, 1929 – Nov. 28, 2019
Linda Mitsuko (Koga) Teal, 90, passed away November 28 at her home in Lakewood.
Linda was the second-eldest of seven siblings born to Kiyoto and Katsume Koga in Shimizu-machi, Kumamoto-ken, Japan,. She was a teenager during WWII, and experienced many hardships, along with her family and millions of other Japanese civilians who struggled to survive.
In her twenties, Linda met and married US Army officer Orrin Teal, who was stationed in Japan, and the couple moved to Lakewood in 1956. Her husband passed away in 1962, leaving Linda on her own in a foreign country. Always resourceful and outgoing, Linda found employment as a menswear tailor for Sears, where she worked until her retirement. During her early years as a single woman, Linda enjoyed outings and vacations with her female coworkers, including parties, dances and trips to Reno.
At about this same time, Linda began attending services at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, where she met and befriended many members of the Japanese-American community. Linda became a dedicated member and benefactor of the Temple, where she devoted countless hours of service to the Buddhist Women’s Association, the Temple Board of Directors, and any and all other Temple initiatives and events.
It was at the Temple where Linda met Yoshimi Mayeda, who would become her lifelong companion. The couple enjoyed gardening, fishing and hunting, and spending memorable days and nights at their beach property on Anderson Island where they hosted gatherings with many friends.
Linda was brimming over with talent and skill, and mastered many forms of art and crafts. She was a wonderful cook, and a master gardener who was honored with inclusion in the prestigious Pierce College Garden Tour in the 1990s. After her retirement from Sears, Linda enrolled in Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, and earned her Associate of Arts degree in art. Her home was filled with her artistic creations, including oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculpture.
Linda’s other great love was animals, especially cats. She brought her white cat with her when she emigrated from Japan, and always had at least one cat in her home. She also fed and cared for neighborhood cats, as well as a feral cat colony on Anderson Island. Her friends often gave her birthday cards and gifts with cat themes, and she liked to wear clothing with cat images.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Orrin Teal, and her companion, Yoshimi Mayeda. She is survived by her six siblings, Kiyonobu, Reiko, Seiichi, Chikara, Setsuko and Shosetsu and their spouses and families, all of Japan; and Mr. Mayeda’s children, Julia Miyakawa and Dr. Andrew Mayeda and their spouses and children; and many close and loving friends.
A memorial service for Linda Teal is set for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, 1717 South Fawcett Ave., Tacoma WA 98402. A reception will follow.
Aug. 1, 1929 – Nov. 28, 2019
Linda Mitsuko (Koga) Teal, 90, passed away November 28 at her home in Lakewood.
Linda was the second-eldest of seven siblings born to Kiyoto and Katsume Koga in Shimizu-machi, Kumamoto-ken, Japan,. She was a teenager during WWII, and experienced many hardships, along with her family and millions of other Japanese civilians who struggled to survive.
In her twenties, Linda met and married US Army officer Orrin Teal, who was stationed in Japan, and the couple moved to Lakewood in 1956. Her husband passed away in 1962, leaving Linda on her own in a foreign country. Always resourceful and outgoing, Linda found employment as a menswear tailor for Sears, where she worked until her retirement. During her early years as a single woman, Linda enjoyed outings and vacations with her female coworkers, including parties, dances and trips to Reno.
At about this same time, Linda began attending services at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, where she met and befriended many members of the Japanese-American community. Linda became a dedicated member and benefactor of the Temple, where she devoted countless hours of service to the Buddhist Women’s Association, the Temple Board of Directors, and any and all other Temple initiatives and events.
It was at the Temple where Linda met Yoshimi Mayeda, who would become her lifelong companion. The couple enjoyed gardening, fishing and hunting, and spending memorable days and nights at their beach property on Anderson Island where they hosted gatherings with many friends.
Linda was brimming over with talent and skill, and mastered many forms of art and crafts. She was a wonderful cook, and a master gardener who was honored with inclusion in the prestigious Pierce College Garden Tour in the 1990s. After her retirement from Sears, Linda enrolled in Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, and earned her Associate of Arts degree in art. Her home was filled with her artistic creations, including oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculpture.
Linda’s other great love was animals, especially cats. She brought her white cat with her when she emigrated from Japan, and always had at least one cat in her home. She also fed and cared for neighborhood cats, as well as a feral cat colony on Anderson Island. Her friends often gave her birthday cards and gifts with cat themes, and she liked to wear clothing with cat images.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Orrin Teal, and her companion, Yoshimi Mayeda. She is survived by her six siblings, Kiyonobu, Reiko, Seiichi, Chikara, Setsuko and Shosetsu and their spouses and families, all of Japan; and Mr. Mayeda’s children, Julia Miyakawa and Dr. Andrew Mayeda and their spouses and children; and many close and loving friends.
A memorial service for Linda Teal is set for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, 1717 South Fawcett Ave., Tacoma WA 98402. A reception will follow.
Linda Mitsuko Teal
Aug. 1, 1929 – Nov. 28, 2019
Linda Mitsuko (Koga) Teal, 90, passed away November 28 at her home in Lakewood.
Linda was the second-eldest of seven siblings born to Kiyoto and Katsume Koga in Shimizu-machi, Kumamoto-ken, Japan,. She was a teenager during WWII, and experienced many hardships, along with her family and millions of other Japanese civilians who struggled to survive.
In her twenties, Linda met and married US Army officer Orrin Teal, who was stationed in Japan, and the couple moved to Lakewood in 1956. Her husband passed away in 1962, leaving Linda on her own in a foreign country. Always resourceful and outgoing, Linda found employment as a menswear tailor for Sears, where she worked until her retirement. During her early years as a single woman, Linda enjoyed outings and vacations with her female coworkers, including parties, dances and trips to Reno.
At about this same time, Linda began attending services at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, where she met and befriended many members of the Japanese-American community. Linda became a dedicated member and benefactor of the Temple, where she devoted countless hours of service to the Buddhist Women’s Association, the Temple Board of Directors, and any and all other Temple initiatives and events.
It was at the Temple where Linda met Yoshimi Mayeda, who would become her lifelong companion. The couple enjoyed gardening, fishing and hunting, and spending memorable days and nights at their beach property on Anderson Island where they hosted gatherings with many friends.
Linda was brimming over with talent and skill, and mastered many forms of art and crafts. She was a wonderful cook, and a master gardener who was honored with inclusion in the prestigious Pierce College Garden Tour in the 1990s. After her retirement from Sears, Linda enrolled in Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, and earned her Associate of Arts degree in art. Her home was filled with her artistic creations, including oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculpture.
Linda’s other great love was animals, especially cats. She brought her white cat with her when she emigrated from Japan, and always had at least one cat in her home. She also fed and cared for neighborhood cats, as well as a feral cat colony on Anderson Island. Her friends often gave her birthday cards and gifts with cat themes, and she liked to wear clothing with cat images.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Orrin Teal, and her companion, Yoshimi Mayeda. She is survived by her six siblings, Kiyonobu, Reiko, Seiichi, Chikara, Setsuko and Shosetsu and their spouses and families, all of Japan; and Mr. Mayeda’s children, Julia Miyakawa and Dr. Andrew Mayeda and their spouses and children; and many close and loving friends.
A memorial service for Linda Teal is set for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, 1717 South Fawcett Ave., Tacoma WA 98402. A reception will follow.
Aug. 1, 1929 – Nov. 28, 2019
Linda Mitsuko (Koga) Teal, 90, passed away November 28 at her home in Lakewood.
Linda was the second-eldest of seven siblings born to Kiyoto and Katsume Koga in Shimizu-machi, Kumamoto-ken, Japan,. She was a teenager during WWII, and experienced many hardships, along with her family and millions of other Japanese civilians who struggled to survive.
In her twenties, Linda met and married US Army officer Orrin Teal, who was stationed in Japan, and the couple moved to Lakewood in 1956. Her husband passed away in 1962, leaving Linda on her own in a foreign country. Always resourceful and outgoing, Linda found employment as a menswear tailor for Sears, where she worked until her retirement. During her early years as a single woman, Linda enjoyed outings and vacations with her female coworkers, including parties, dances and trips to Reno.
At about this same time, Linda began attending services at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, where she met and befriended many members of the Japanese-American community. Linda became a dedicated member and benefactor of the Temple, where she devoted countless hours of service to the Buddhist Women’s Association, the Temple Board of Directors, and any and all other Temple initiatives and events.
It was at the Temple where Linda met Yoshimi Mayeda, who would become her lifelong companion. The couple enjoyed gardening, fishing and hunting, and spending memorable days and nights at their beach property on Anderson Island where they hosted gatherings with many friends.
Linda was brimming over with talent and skill, and mastered many forms of art and crafts. She was a wonderful cook, and a master gardener who was honored with inclusion in the prestigious Pierce College Garden Tour in the 1990s. After her retirement from Sears, Linda enrolled in Pierce College at Fort Steilacoom, and earned her Associate of Arts degree in art. Her home was filled with her artistic creations, including oil paintings, watercolors, ceramics and sculpture.
Linda’s other great love was animals, especially cats. She brought her white cat with her when she emigrated from Japan, and always had at least one cat in her home. She also fed and cared for neighborhood cats, as well as a feral cat colony on Anderson Island. Her friends often gave her birthday cards and gifts with cat themes, and she liked to wear clothing with cat images.
Linda was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Orrin Teal, and her companion, Yoshimi Mayeda. She is survived by her six siblings, Kiyonobu, Reiko, Seiichi, Chikara, Setsuko and Shosetsu and their spouses and families, all of Japan; and Mr. Mayeda’s children, Julia Miyakawa and Dr. Andrew Mayeda and their spouses and children; and many close and loving friends.
A memorial service for Linda Teal is set for 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 16, at Tacoma Buddhist Temple, 1717 South Fawcett Ave., Tacoma WA 98402. A reception will follow.
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