Bonnie Harrington-Ohashi

Bonnie Harrington-Ohashi, 89, was born December 29, 1936. She died March 10, 2026 after a short illness. Wife to Wataru Ohashi. Mother to Kazuhiro Ohashi. Born in Emmett, Idaho to Edna Clause and Robert Harrington. Bonnie was born into a humble life — her mother was an orphan and her father a ranch hand — her childhood lived as a cowgirl. She grew up with her parents and sister and brother — Darlene and Ronnie. Bonnie knew there was more for her beyond the rolling hills of Emmett. She completed her studies at the College of Idaho and then went to graduate school on a fellowship to the University of Pittsburgh. There she met fellow students from all backgrounds. She worked as editor at the University Press in Pittsburg until she felt the need to expand her experience and took a job in Westport, Connecticut as Managing Editor at a small publishing house. Westport offered little social life for a single woman; and after a year she left for New York City. She worked for Harcourt Brace and Macmillan publishers, in their School textbooks departments. During the ‘70s NYC was an exciting place to be — for the arts and for cultural changes. Bonnie would spend her free time going to plays, museums and dance performances While working on an assignment for MacMillan to expand the role of girls in reading textbooks Bonnie reached out to the National Organization for Women, NOW, for help. NOW was a new organization at that time promoting political and occupational rights for women. She became involved with NOW meeting some luminaries in the field such as Betty Friedan and Gloria Steinem. Bonnie volunteered as Vice President of the NYC chapter. (It was because of the work of organizations like NOW that Title Nine was passed, granting equal rights to girls to be trained in sports.) At this time Bonnie also attended weekly classes in Hatha Yoga. And through that met Wataru Ohashi at a retreat where they were immediately attracted to each other. To many this seemed like a strange union — a feminist woman and a chauvinist Japanese man. Bonnie’s girlfriends at the time shook their heads in disbelief. Within a year Bonnie quit her job at Harcourt Brace and began working with Ohashi to help organize and promote his work and school. It was a life-long journey for Bonnie. Bonnie and Ohashi married in 1977. She was the Vice President of the international organization: The Ohashi Institute in New York City. She dedicated herself to developing the curriculum for the Institute. She was instrumental in helping to publish Ohashi’s books, 8 in total and many more international language editions. She ran the Ohashi Institute in New York City from 1977 to 2011. Then continued to support Ohashi from the office in Kinderhook, New York. Bonnie traveled to 30 different countries and many cities in Europe. Bonnie helped students around the world graduate from the Ohashiatsu curriculum. She helped many instructors become successful teachers. She organized, sacrificed and worked tirelessly to continue the vision of Touch for Peace around the world. The success of Ohashi, the Ohashi Institute, Ohashi International and OHASHI Method is directly attributed to her dedication. In her free time Bonnie was a skilled gardener. She would spend much of her time tending to her garden but also to her indoor plants. She would talk to them. Encouraging them to grow and bloom. Even up until her hospitalization Bonnie enjoyed going to museums — the Thomas Cole Museum being one of her favorites. She would attend local plays at the Ghent Playhouse. Bonnie and her son attended a production recently in late January. Bonnie is survived by her husband Wataru Ohashi and son Kazuhiro Ohashi. And many nieces and nephews across the United States. Preceding Bonnie in death were her mother Edna, father Robert, brother Ronald (Ronnie) and sister Darlene.

Bonnie Harrington-Ohashi

December 29, 1936 - March 10, 2026