Granddaughter Somer Little is the latest mountain climber in Yoshiko Otey’s family, this time climbing the Alps recently. We were astonished at this news on Facebook because the effort was to help raise funds for hospice kids who had medical conditions that might prevent them from living to only 8.

Somer is only 19 herself and a student of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. Her father has been a volunteer to help the homeless on the streets of New York.

Somer’s mother, Mimiko, painted and printed three colorful kids’ books about the Japanese and American families.

Mountains are in our family tradition. Grandmother Edith and Great-aunt Elsie Foster were Cherokee and were born by Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga, Tenn. My father’s family were British and Creek from Missouri. Bishop John Otey traded his ship for land in Virginia and planted cabin chapels and Episcopal churches through Virginia and Tennessee.

Our blessings go out to all who are dealing with the hills and valleys of living in today’s world.

— Fleming & Yoshiko Otey

Salisbury