Roy G. Seko

Former Bainbridge Island resident Roy Seko, founder of Bush Garden Restaurant in Seattle’s International District, died July 4 at the age of 75.

He was born on Oct. 25, 1928, in Seattle, and attended Cascade Grade School.

During World War II, the Seko family was relocated to Minidoka, in Hunt, Idaho and later to Tule Lake, California. His father, Kachi Seko was sent to a special camp with Italians and Germans, because authorities thought he was a spy.

After the end of the war and returning to Seattle, Roy Seko graduated from Bainbridge High School in 1947. He attended the University of Washington, majoring in Architecture and Far East Studies and joined the US Army in 1950.

He was trained at the Counter Intelligence Corp School (CIC) and the next year was sent overseas to Camp Drake in Japan.

In 1953, Kachi Seko started the Bush Garden Restaurant in the Bush Hotel, and Roy helped him while he had his own business, Bush Artcraft.

Three years later, when he became engaged to Joan Tomiko, his father asked them if they would be interested in going into partnership in a new location for the restaurant at 614 Maynard Ave. South.

Roy and Joan agreed, and purchased the properties where the restaurant was to be built.

They held their wedding reception at the new Bush Garden right after it was completed. They lived on the third floor of the restaurant for 10 years, and raised three children.

Seko opened two more restaurants with partners, one in Portland, Ore., and the other in San Francisco, Calif.

After the death of Kaichi, the Seko family moved to Bellevue to live with mother Suye Seko.

The family sold the restaurants in Portland and San Francisco, and continued their efforts in Seattle Bush Garden until they sold their properties in 1996.

Seko then worked with Masaharu Sakata of Bush Catering, an airline food service business, which prepared food for Japan Airlines, Northwest Airlines, United Airlines and Thai Airlines.

Tomio Moriguchi, the CEO of Uwajimaya and Seko had been friends for 60 years. “We will miss Seko slowly but surely for a long time,” Moriguchi said.

In addition to his wife Joan Tomiko Seko, he is survived by daughters, Kristi Shimada, Lauree Seko, Ann Haas and sons Gregg and Mark.

A memorial service was held July 9 at Seattle Buddhist Church.

Obituary reprinted by permission of the North American Post.