Reiko Brandon

Reiko Brandon, 79, much loved wife, mother, grand and great-grandmother passed away Monday, Oct. 1, 2007, at Columbia Basin Hospital. Our mother was born July 11, 1928, in Hakone, Japan. After completing her regular schooling she began studying to become a dressmaker for silk kimonos. Mom was very proud of her handiwork in sewing and crocheting. She gifted us all with many beautiful dollies and baby blankets through the years.

She met and later married our dad, Ermal Brandon on Nov. 14, 1955, in Japan. Mom left her family and home country to start a new life in America. She came here not speaking English, but with a huge desire to learn to speak it and also to drive. She didn't want to rely on other people to help her. Mom was very self sufficient.

Together our parents had four children. Our family was a military family which meant we moved a lot. Mom liked to tell us, "I've lived in 22 houses." She told us stories on how she could carry a baby, hold our hands and tote luggage through airports by herself when we were moving and Dad was stationed over seas.

In 1976, Mom and Dad built their home on what we call "the Rock Farm" in Ephrata. Mom was employed at Carnation Company in Moses Lake for 17 years and spent most of them commuting a drive she hated, but endured to pay off "the Rock Farm." After her retirement in 1990 she became "the grower of all things green." She loved tending to her vegetable gardens and she had a lot of them on "the Rock Farm." She grew mostly zucchini, cucumbers, and green onions. Mom's gardens could grow green onions almost year round. When she wasn't tending her gardens, Mom and Dad went on road trips. Dad did all the driving, Mom did all the shopping.

Mom loved to travel and recently had renewed her passport. She was planning on traveling to Japan with her daughter. On Oct. 1, we believe she went on ahead of us. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Ermal Brandon of Ephrata, daughter Alice Teitzel and husband Chuck of Sumner, daughter Mary Mickelson and husband Dave of Quincy, son Charles Brandon of Moses Lake, daughter Donna DeLong and husband Ken of Moses Lake, 14 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

We love you Mom and miss you terribly.