A Phoenix Visit Filled with Pueo Stories

What a pleasure it was to spend time with Thelma Ogawa Nishikimoto ’51 and her daughter, Joy! The visit quickly turned into a walk down memory lane as we flipped through old Mid-Pacific yearbooks, sharing stories and reminiscing about the people and places.

Thelma’s life story is as inspiring as it is adventurous. In the 1950s, her independence and positive spirit carried her from Honolulu all the way to Chicago, where she met her husband, built a career, and raised a family. She credits Mid-Pacific with shaping her personal growth and strengthening the critical-thinking skills that helped propel her professional journey, particularly during her work with the Chicago Board of Education.

These days, Thelma‘s life in Phoenix is rich with caring family all around. She has a healthy affinity for K-dramas, Korean food, and K-pop, specifically BTS. Her favorite BTS members are V and RM (sorry to the other five guys!). 

Speaking of Korean food, we also learned from the Nishikimotos about Kimchi Korean BBQ, one of three restaurants in the Phoenix/Mesa area owned by Mid-Pacific alumnus John Woo ’89.