Lena Saugen

February 22, 1921 - November 09, 2010

Lena Saugen Obituary Lena was born on February 22, 1921, to an unwed Japanese father, Henry Ogihara, and Caucasian mother. She never knew her biological mother, and was raised by her father and his Japanese wife in Independence, OR. Lena's early years were quite difficult due to her illegitimacy mixed race and stepmother's ill will. She was preceded in death by her half-brother Sam, and later by her father when she was 15 years old. Lena overcame her difficult childhood when she left home in her late teens to become a Christian. This led the way to attend a bible college in Tennessee and later do missionary work in Lewiston, Idaho where she married Victor Campbell in 1944. Moving away from the Pacific Coast was providential because she was able to evade being placed in a Japanese internment camp. Lena and Victor relocated to Spokane with their two young children in 1949. Two more children were born in Spokane. Lena was a devoted mother to her four children, and worked very hard to provide for them. She worked as a housekeeper in her early employment, and later became a press operator for Marshall Letter Co. of Spokane where she stayed until retiring in 1982. Victor died in 1976, and Lena married John Saugen in 1982. Her expanded family now included John's five children and families with whom they celebrated many milestones. Lena and John enjoyed traveling and took several trips in the U.S. and abroad. In addition to traveling and doing needlework, Lena was an avid gardener. She was active in a local garden club for several years and her yard was always filled with colorful blooms. Three years after John's death in 2002, Lena decided to leave her beloved home on West Boone Avenue in Spokane and moved to a retirement center and finally an adult care home until her death on November 9, 2010. Lena is survived by her sons Alex (Kathy) Campbell and Dan (Karen) Campbell, and her daughters Naomi (Ron) Franklin and Ruth (Joe) Mathesius. She was dearly loved by her children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and will be greatly missed. A Memorial service will be held at Heritage Funeral Home, Tuesday, November 16, 2010, at 11:00 o'clock a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations my be made to Alzheimer's Association or Horizon Hospice.