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In early December 2020, while talking to Miiko Rowe and Naomi East about Hickory’s long-standing Oriental Woman’s Club, I met Naomi’s husband Tom East, a U.S. Navy veteran. Always interested
MARY CANROBERT When Naomi East of Hickory emailed me to share information about Hickoryâs Oriental Womanâs Club, which has been in existence more than five decades, I responded that I was ashamed to admit that I didnât know there was such an organization. Naomi, who was born in Japan, lived there until she was 11, moved to Hawaii for a few years, and then returned to Japan and graduated from high school there, was saddened to share that one of the clubâs founding members, Itsuko âMollyâ Omura Swanson, died Oct. 4. She was 96. When Molly was a young wo...