The Valley Intruder : DAYLE OKAZAKI : Rosemead, March 17

Dayle Okazaki, two weeks shy of her 35th birthday, spent the evening of March 17 at her parents’ house, watching a television movie and chatting about her boyfriend and recent promotion to traffic supervisor with Los Angeles County.

Born in Hawaii, the slightly built Miss Okazaki had attended local schools, including Pasadena City College. She was one of three children from a closely knit family.

She loved skiing, shopping and planning parties, making holidays of the most mundane occasions, her sister said. “It just made her happy to make other people happy. Whatever she bought she shared. When she went to the zoo, she bought everyone Panda pins. When she bought a gigantic bag of popcorn on sale, she divided it into 20 small containers to give to friends.”

A co-worker recalled: “One time I told her I had to spend the weekend painting my house. Saturday morning she showed up on the doorstep, paint brush in hand.”

Miss Okazaki had been taking classes in cake decorating, flower arranging, computer programing and, most recently, self-defense.

“We talked about how scary rape was and what we could do to protect ourselves,” a friend said.

Miss Okazaki left her parents’ home about 9 p.m. for her own in nearby Rosemead--a new condominium she had saved for several years to buy.

Her mother recalled warning her to drive carefully on the freeway because her car was not in good condition. Shortly after 10:45 p.m., an assailant sneaked into her home through a garage door and shot her several times. Her roommate was wounded in the assault but was able to phone for help.

When Miss Okazaki was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park, there were so many mourners that additional seating had to be provided outside.

Her mother, who still cries at the mention of her daughter’s name, said: “You think it won’t happen to you. And when it happens to you, what can you say? It will never go away. The pain.”