Sr. Regina Kabayama with the Great Pumpkin, fashioned after a favorite character, Minnie Mouse (School Sisters of Notre Dame)
It was a moment of pure joy! School Sister of Notre Dame, Regina Kabayama appeared dressed as Minnie Mouse, tossing her little purse and smiling with her sunny personality! Who was this 5-foot-2 source of light that has graced our halls, shared her marvelous sushi, and danced her way into our hearts? She is still a child even as she welcomes her 90th birthday on March 4, 2021.
Like the rising sun, her spirit brings us energy!
She was born in Osaka in 1931, where her father had a thriving tailoring business for wealthy Japanese businessmen. However, one month before her birth, he died of pneumonia, leaving her mother with four children: an older brother who later became a diocesan priest, two sisters and her the new baby. Her mother lived to the age of 96, preceded in death by all her children but Regina.