Marjorie Teramura

Marjorie (Midge) Teramura, a longtime resident of Ontario, Oregon, passed away peacefully from natural causes on January 14, 2024, in Puyallup, Washington at the age of 95.

She was born Marjorie Masako Miyake, on November 16, 1928, in Nampa, Idaho, to Suyeno and Kenichi Miyake. She was the middle child of a family of 6.

Midge spent a short period of time in Kemmerer, Wyoming while her dad worked in the coal mines.  They then moved to Nampa, Idaho where the family joined her grandfather and grandmother and helped farm the land on Karcher Road.  Like most other people times were tough and the family was very poor, but they managed to have food on the table and clothes to wear.  She mentions in one of her writings that during WW II they were lucky to be inland enough to not be part of the relocation that took place.  Her life continued attending school and she was fortunate to have some very good friends that watched out for her.

During her high school years at Nampa High School, she played tennis and was part of the Business Club.  After high school Midge took classes at Nampa Business School.

Midge met her soon-to-be husband Yasu when she was working at the Midway café.  The story goes that a bunch of guys needing a meal went to the Midway café.  They dared Yasu to ask this cute waitress out on a date.  Yasu took the dare and Midge and Yasu were married on February 12, 1951, and raised 5 kids.  They homesteaded outside of Ontario in the Cairo area.

Midge was the athletic one in the family.  She loved to play tennis in her younger years, she bowled in leagues, coached girls softball, and also played golf every chance she could get.

She was a 4-H Leader, helped lead the Geology Club and was involved with the Girl Scouts.  Midge participated in helping the boys learn how to raise and show lambs at the county fair.

Midge was active in the Idaho Oregon Buddhist Temple, participating in making kakimochi, working with meals on wheels, beating taiko drums during the Obon festival and helping to cook at the County Fair booth.  She enjoyed her time with the Buddhist Women’s Association (BWA) and Fujinkai Ladies.

Some of her other things she liked were bingo, cards, trips to Jackpot, chocolate chip cookies, McDonalds french fries and KFC mashed potatoes and gravy.

Midge was very proud of her family and was very pleased to see that all the hard work to raise these children into adults had paid off.  She mentioned in every visit in her later years how well the children had turned out.

Midge is survived by her brother Bob Miyake, daughters Cynthia (Delbert), Joyce (Eddie), Jennifer and son Tom (Tandra), 7 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.  Midge was preceded in death by her husband Yasu, her son Mike and her siblings, Mary, Ishi, Robert and Helen.

We will miss Midge and all the inspiration and wisdom she imparted on all of us. We are all blessed to have had Midge in our lives…Sister, Mom, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Auntie and Dear Friend.

A memorial and celebration of Midge’s life will be at a later date.