Loen Dozono

Even a rainy day couldn't stop Loen Azumano Dozono from leaving this earth on her own terms. On Saturday, June 15, 2024, she passed away from complications related to metastatic breast cancer, surrounded by her family. (Loen never liked being reminded she was born on a rainy day, and didn't want to pass away on one.) A community leader, wife, mother to five children and three grandchildren, and a loving family member and friend to many more very special people, Loen gave most of herself to those she loved and saved little for herself because that's the kind of person she was. She was timeless in her ability to relate to all generations, because her love language was FUN.
Loen was born on April 1, 1946, and married Sho Dozono on June 8, 1968. A proud sansei (third-generation Japanese-American), she epitomized her generation excelling in school at Marshall High School, and graduating Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Oregon in 1968 with a Bachelor's Degree in Romance Languages. Loen taught French and Spanish in the Beaverton school district for one year before the newlyweds had to move across the country for Sho's US Army officer training school.
Loen devoted the next 30 years to her family: raising their children, volunteering at their schools, driving softball and soccer carpools, and being the hostess with the mostest.
After becoming an empty nester she worked tirelessly on many goodwill campaigns with Sho through their family business Azumano Travel including the Flight for Freedom after 9/11 in 2001 and Flights for Friendship to Thailand and Japan, and four goodwill delegations to North Korea with Mercy Corps. She also helped revive the Japan America Society of Oregon's Tomodachi Program to welcome and integrate the wives of Japanese businessmen into the community.
Other than her kids, the accomplishment Loen was most proud of was her work to revive the Ikoi no Kai hot lunch program that serves lunch to the older Japanese American community at Epworth United Methodist Church, taking over as director when no one else would in 2010, until her health challenges made it impossible to continue.
Loen is survived by her brother, Jim; sister, Bet; her husband, Sho; her children, Elisa, Kristen, Alison, Stephanie, Tadashi; her grandchildren, Akira Chambers, Quinn Brown, and Ise Dozono-Ventura; and dozens of beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church, Saturday, July 13, 2024, 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, Loen wanted people to consider donating to Ikoi no Kai, the Knight Cancer Institute, or the Japanese American Museum of Oregon.