By Ken Hackman
It is with extreme sadness that I share this with you all.
My friend, Katzuko, “Katz” Leach died last week on April 17. I can’t remember when or where I first met Bob and Katz, it was probably in the early ‘70s but I don’t remember. What I do remember was Bob was a taciturn, no nonsense type who loved his beer, Katz was Katz, loving, gregarious and at times her Japanese inflected English was difficult for this “Gaijin” to understand. But we connected, I was Hackaman and she was Katz or Katzuko. It turned out that we shared the same birth year and a love of Japanese culture, people and country!
At some point in time Bob came to work for me in the Photojournalism Division. at Hq. AAVS. He was always insistent that he was not blankety blank photojournalist, but he was a hell of a photographer. He and Katz had met in Japan when he was stationed there and in 1963, they married and were later blessed with two wonderful daughters; Janet and Judy.
Memories of Katz: There are so many, but here a few:
At Christmas time the PJs were famous for their elaborate parties. A huge part of the party was Katz’s gyozas. She would make, I don’t know how many, which usually were consumed by the PJs before the party even started but she would always have a separate box of gyozas that she would bring directly to me. I loved them and her for it.
Visiting with Katz and Bob at Misawa, where Bob was detachment Chief, in the early 90s and being fed Katz prepared large, and I do mean large barbecued sea scallops was heaven! The walk I took with her and Bob through the Towada National Park was awesome.
The annual AAVS Commander’s Conferences gave all of us an opportunity to get into tuxedos, mess dress and gowns. I was always happy to be included in the group that got invited to Bob & Katz’s home prior to the dinner for drinks and snacks including those wonderful gyozas. The dinners, PJ group photos further enhanced the comradery and Katz was a crucial part of the glue that held us all together.
The PJ weekend outing to Mexico. Once or twice a year on holiday weekends, Vida and I would invite the PJs to our beach house in Mexico. It was a fun-filled weekend with too much drinking, lobster dinners, sunbathing on the beach. On one of these outing Katz was induced to try a Margarita. She liked the first one and second and so on. She got very inebriated, followed by getting so physically sick that she told me “Hackaman I am never going to drink those again”!
New Year’s Day Party. After we all retired from the Air Force life, I began holding a party on January first for dear friends. Bob and Katz were regulars, she knew of my fondness for anything Japanese and would always bring me Japanese calendars for New Year, decorated with scenes of gardens, art, and architecture. Of course, she always brought the gyozas. In 2006 when Manola and I married she and Bob were there. Manola and Katz connected and became loving friends.
As I set here at home, sequestered because of the pandemic, two days after the passing of my birth year mate, wonderful friend I am conflicted with the sadness of her passing and the thoughts that finally she is no longer suffering. I love you Katzuko, Miokuro Watashi no yūjin.