Dorothy Yu Hwang

Dorothy Yu Hwang once said, "I've lived four lives, and no one knows about all of them." Dorothy, 85, who passed on July 26, 2019 in Altadena, CA, never went on to define those four lives, which leaves us to speculate on her rich, full, and far-reaching journey through this world.
Dorothy Huang was born August 6, 1933 on the island of Gulangyu, off the coast of Xiamen, in the province of Fujian, China. Her parents, Chen Jung "C.J." and Chiauti Yu Huang, were ethnic Chinese living in Manila, Philippines, where Dorothy's great-grandfather, Yutivo, had founded a prosperous hardware business. Chiauti had returned to Fujian to visit relatives when she gave birth to Dorothy. Travel was perilous and physically taxing, so when her mother returned to Manila, she left 2 year-old Dorothy in Gulangyu to be raised by extended family for two more years. The second of four children, her family includes older brother Robert, and younger siblings Bessie and Marshall.
Dorothy's childhood was defined by artistry, faith, and war. Born with a talent for music, she began studying piano at an early age. Her teachers included the legendary Herbert Zipper, who had survived detention in Nazi death camps before finding refuge in Manila. The Japanese Army invaded the Philippines in 1941, when Dorothy was 8 years old. Occupying soldiers commandeered their Yutivo family compound, and her family was forced to move into a house reputed to be haunted. Dorothy remembered riding on the back of her father's bicycle to piano lessons, past the watchful eyes of Japanese soldiers.
The Yutivo family had been both materially and spiritually blessed. Dorothy's maternal grandfather had converted to Christianity and her paternal great-grandfather served as the first Chinese pastor of the first Protestant church in China, located in Xiamen. Family lore holds that her grandmother's prayers counteracted the curse which had plagued that haunted house. When the Japanese surrendered in 1945, 12 year-old Dorothy wished and prayed for just a few years of peace.
The postwar era brought greater fortune to the Yutivo clan, including acquisition of the General Motors franchise in the Philippines. Her family moved southward to the Philippine Visayas, where her father ran Southern Motors, but Dorothy stayed in a Manila boarding school to continue studying piano. When time came for college, Dr. Zipper suggested she go to either Switzerland or Southern California. Wanting to avoid the cold, Dorothy enrolled at the University of Southern California, arriving in America in January 1953.
A few weeks later, at a foreign students' dance on Valentine's Day, she met Henry Yuan Hwang, a graduate student in international relations. He eventually switched to an MBA program, supporting himself by starting a laundromat. Dorothy and Henry were married on June 11, 1955. She earned both her Bachelors and Masters degrees in Music at USC, graduating with honors, while also working at Henry's laundry, sewing and doing alterations. Their first child, David Henry, was born in 1957. In 1958, after having been refused by a broker who would not sell property in Monterey Park to Chinese, Henry and Dorothy purchased a home in El Monte.
Dorothy continued her growth as an artist, winning the prestigious UCLA Young Artists Award, which included a major debut concert. However, she passed up this opportunity to return to the Philippines in 1960 and visit her mother, who had fallen seriously ill. Chiauti recovered, and Dorothy gave concerts in Manila and Taiwan. In 1961, she gave birth to their first daughter, Margery Anne (Mimi), followed by daughter Grace Elizabeth. After being barred from purchasing property in San Marino due to their race, they moved in 1962 to San Gabriel. In addition to her work as a diligent and loving mother, Dorothy began teaching piano privately, and joined the faculty of the USC Preparatory Division. Continuing her studies with renowned pianist Jakob Gimpel, her playing drew the attention of admirers, including the author Henry Miller. Critics praised her "fine insight and feeling for poetry, good bravura, and imposing technique."
Faith and devotion to Jesus remained a guiding principle of her life. In 1965, she became a Founding Member of First Evangelical Church, which began holding services in the living room of her uncle, Rev. George Chua. In 1966, her brother-in-law, Rev. Eddie Lo, continued the ministry. As one of the pillars of FEC, Dorothy saw it grow to include five sister churches throughout Southern California today, with reach into other states and countries.
In 1974, Henry founded Far East National Bank, the first federally-chartered Asian American bank in the continental United States. In the 1980's and 1990's, FENB became one of the highest-performing banks in the nation, and Dorothy's role as the wife of a successful entrepreneur came into prominence. In 1983, they moved to Pasadena. She also expanded upon her own success as a music educator. The USC Preparatory Division became the Colburn School of the Performing Arts, where she continued as a Master Teacher. In 1975, Dorothy joined the faculty of Azusa Pacific University, where she served as Professor of Piano until her retirement. Her students won prestigious international competitions, performed at venues from the White House to Carnegie Hall, and went on to teach at major institutions.
In 1997, Henry sold FENB to Bank Sinopac. They moved to San Marino a year later. Henry and Dorothy celebrated 50 years of marriage in 2005. He passed away later that year.
Dorothy remained devoted to her family and her faith. She was especially beloved by her grandchildren, for whom "Ama" was a constant source of support and love: Emma Hwang Garth (born 1995), Noah David Hwang (born 1996), Celia Hwang Garth (born 1998) and Eva Veanne Hwang (born 2000). In 2019, she moved to MonteCedro, in Altadena.
Dorothy Yu Huang passed peacefully and comfortably without pain, after having been surrounded by her children, grandchildren, and daughter-in-law Kathryn Layng Hwang. What were the four lives of Dorothy Yu Hwang? She lived many, and touched many more, deeply and always for the better.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, August 4, 2019, at Forest Lawn Glendale, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., with a closed casket from 5:00-6:00 pm, and an open casket from 6:00-8:00 pm. Services will be performed on Monday, August 5 at 2:30 pm at the Church of the Recessional, Forest Lawn Glendale, followed by a burial for family only.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Evangelical Church Glendale (https://www.fecg.org/) or the Pasadena Conservatory of Music (https://pasadenaconservatory.org/).