Dorinda “Dee” Nicholson
Dorinda “Dee” Nicholson, age 88
Dorinda “Dee'' Nicholson was born in Hawaii and was living in Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941 when the Japanese attacked. Her mother was a hula teacher, so Dee made her hula debut at the age of 3 and appeared on a Hawaiian TV show as a hula dancer during high school. She attended college in Kansas City, got married here, had four sons and then went to work as a psychotherapist at ReDiscover Mental Health Center, where she worked for 27 years. She is the author of two books, “Pearl Harbor Child” and “Pearl Harbor Warriors,” winners of several national awards. The American Girl Doll, Nanea was designed after her and her story! In June 2024, the USS Missouri in Pearl Harbor opened an exhibit on Dorinda’s history. She is working with the Truman Library, the Battleship Missouri and local schools on an exhibit commemorating the end of WWII and the peace treaty signing. Today, she hosts her own website and lives a life of service, volunteering at a food pantry and speaking about her experiences at schools and events around the country. She still dances hula and is a Red Cross disaster mental health volunteer.
