Sadako Orraca

Sadako Matsuo Orraca was born in Shimonoseki, Japan on January 26, 1931, the oldest of a family of 6 children. By the end of World War II she was living with her grandparents outside the city of Nagasaki. She had memories of people going off in the morning to the city on the day the bomb fell and not returning. She was working half time in a factory and going to school half time. Her father was in the Japanese army and was interned in Okinawa for several years after the war ended.

She became a Baptist and was educated at a college in Tokyo. She worked for the Baptists in Tokyo and was sent to Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She returned to Japan and then came back to Baylor on her own. She met Jose Orraca at Baylor where he was also studying. They married on September 19, 1965.

Sadako also loved her dog! And she was famous amongst her friends for traveling to New York City well into her eighties, taking the subway and walking for blocks and block in order to go to her beloved Metropolitan Opera and Carnegie Hall as well as to Zabars, for fine food, and Sherry-Lehmann Wine & Spirits, for fine wine.

Sadako and Jose lived in New Jersey for a time where she studied at the Princeton Theological Seminary. Subsequently, they moved to Washington, DC where Jose worked at the Library of Congress and Sadako attended American University where she received a Master's Degree in Library Science. I believe she also worked in the American University Library. Jose trained in Rochester in photo conservation and received support from Georgia O'Keefe for his studies.

Subsequently, they moved to Delaware and lived in Gettysburg, PA. There they adopted their son Carlos who came to them from the Philippines in 1977. Jose taught at the University of Delaware and at Marquette University. Sadako worked as a librarian at a chemical institute. After Jose began his photo conservation business in New York City, Sadako and Carlos moved to join him and she worked as a librarian at Proskauer Rose Goetz and Mendelssohn and until she retired around 2002. They lived in Sharon, CT until Jose died in 2009. In early 2010 she moved to Cramerton, NC and subsequently to Belmont, NC to be near her son Carlos and his daughters, Emma and Lauren.

Sadako traveled extensively--to France, Spain, Germany, Austria, United Kingdom and Japan. She loved opera, fine food and wine and was much beloved by her many friends.

A Memorial Service will be held at a later date.

The South Chapel of Greene Funeral Service is serving the Orraca family. Condolences may be shared online at: www.greenefuneral.com.