Eleanor “Ellie” Masae Ozawa
November 28, 1933 – June 18, 2020
Eleanor “Ellie” Masae Ozawa was born in Los Angeles on November 28, 1933 to George and Edith Kawahara. She was the youngest of four children. She grew up in Los Angeles until her internment in WWII in Gila River, AZ. Following the war, the family relocated to Reedley, CA before settling down in Gardena, CA. Ellie graduated from Gardena High School and UCLA where she was a member of the Chi Alpha Delta sorority and where she met her future husband, Paul.
After graduating UCLA, Ellie became a teacher with LAUSD. She and Paul were married in 1957 and settled in Torrance where they raised their five sons. She was active in Scouting, being a Den Mother to all five and supporting them as all became Eagle Scouts. Ellie went back to teaching, focusing on special education until her retirement. Ellie was a member of several groups at the Gardena Buddhist Church, including the Hui Aikane, Dana Group and the cookbook group. She was also active with Go For Broke National Education Center with her two brothers having served in the MIS and an uncle and brother-in-law having served in the 442nd RCT.
Ellie lived a full and wonderful life. She enjoyed making chili and soup for the veterans. She continued to meet with her cookbook group even though the cookbook was completed in 1976! Lately, she looked forward to her Monday Zoom meetings with GFBNEC and her Tuesday Social with the church. And, she was rarely without her iPad doing her puzzles.
Ellie is preceded in death by her husband, Paul, and her son, Mark (Linda). She is survived by her siblings Lindbergh (Yone), Herbert (Helen deceased) and Evelyn (Ray Chikahisa), her sons, Michael (Noriko), Mitchell (Ann), Marshall (Patricia Bigler) and Matthew (Mari) and grandchildren Kate (Hunter Davis), Sara, George, Elizabeth, Hayden, Camryn, Chase, Peyton, Jackson and Scout.
A private family service was held in accordance with her wishes. In lieu of flowers or o-koden, please consider a donation in her memory to Go For Broke National Education Center in Los Angeles.