I am writing to let the friends and family of my father, John Jung, know that on February 4, 2023 his younger brother George died in San Bruno, California.

George was born in Macon, Georgia, the youngest of the 4 Jung siblings. He was what society today calls "developmentally delayed" though neither a professional nor a precise diagnosis was ever applied to him. Caring for George throughout their lives and providing for his well-being should he outlive them was the constant labor and concern of my father and of his sister Jean who both predeceased George, and of his sister Mary who has become too unwell to fulfill that role anymore.

George lived most of his adult life with his mother, first in San Francisco, then in San Bruno. When she died, he lived alone surrounded by an enormous army of toys, action figures, and stuffed animals. They were named after either Sesame Street characters, action heroes, celebrities, or us or our petsHe recorded the birthdays of loved ones and famous people in a journal and reported the birthdays of the moment to all visitors. He asked visitors to send him regular photos of their dogs for his wall. He was, as my father often said, relentlessly optimistic and cheerful, always focused on his next toy acquisition and never succumbing to the melancholy that must have attended the constant shrinking of his world as family members passed on, his mobility decreased, and he went from wandering the public transit system all over San Francisco to sitting on the floor of his tiny suburban home.

When I was a child, he frustrated me with his capricious behavior, rude snorting, and aggressive playing of chess (at which he beat me regularly, using his queen to croquet-mallet my pieces onto the floor and shouting, "knock that sucker off the board!!!") When I visited him as an adult, it was heartbreaking to see how much he loved interacting with people and how little power he had to make that happen or to otherwise take an active role in his life. He was a true innocent and a very sweet soul. Our visits always ended with a stricken look from him at the prospect of departure and a sense that I was leaving a beautiful world of repose and gentleness back into the shock of reality -- so that I too was looking forward to the next visit.

I know that George's welfare must have been weighing heavily on my father once he realized that George would indeed outlive him. I trust and hope that he knew we would do our best for him. It is profoundly moving to think of these two elderly men, my dad constantly lecturing his brother about why his allowance wouldn't be increased, and think that they were once just two Georgia boys romping through the fields at cowboys and Indians.

George's last year could not have been easy, in many ways being the most solitary of his life. But I believe that moving into a nursing home, he got more opportunity to be social and am glad to know that he was well cared for in his last days. With George's passing, my dad's lifelong, solemn obligation and duty to his brother has ended and on that matter he can now -- if he wasn't already -- rest in peace.

M E M O R I A L S E R V I C E
Monday, February 13, 2023, 11:00 AM
Madrone South – Lot 24, Green Lawn Cemetery
1100 El Camino Real, Colma, California

Thinking of your influence in my life and remembering your smile and laughter.

As I search for information on my family history and Chinese history in the U S, I come across information that reminds me of my interactions
with John.Although we never met in person, the discovery of being cousins led to exchanges of emails.
I am forever grateful to John. His curiosity, intellect, kindness, and joy were gifts then and remain in the work that is his legacy.

So sorry to hear these news. Truly devastating. Dr. Jung was the foundation of everything I am today and what I aspire to be but never reached. Truly an amazing man.

John Jung gave recognition and voice to Chinese laundrymen, restaurant workers, and the wives of these early pioneers. His writing put humanity and stories behind the statistics we usually find whenever therritingse has been even a small mention of the Chinese in historical writings.

We communicated several times over the last twenty years, particularly as John was doing his early research. We "met" via email through our cousin William Lau. It turns out that John and I are also cousins in the Chinese way.
He included a photograph of our family in one of his books.

I didn't get to meet John in person but because his kindness and interest in gathering stories of relatives, close and distant, I felt a strong connection. I wear a tee-shirt that he sent me often....so I'm reminded to think about the 'water and it's source.'

I hope, John, that you are still collecting these stories.

Every one's story is important to tell. -- John Jung
Chicago, IL
September 29, 2015

John and I met at Northwestern as graduate students in psychology. He was finishing his dissertation the year I began. He left for an appointment as Assistant Professor at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). We knew each other, but it was at CSULB we became friends. John played role in CSULB recruiting me to the Psych Department in 1964.

At Long Beach, in 1966 John’s office had a small room, a left-over from the days the building had housed biology faculty. A table-top hockey game had been “gifted” John by a colleague. As a result, John’s office became a social hub.

John was more bemused than annoyed by his frequent visitors. He’d occasionally remark on the irony displayed by coffee-drinking, hockey-playing professors complaining about lack of time to do research.

After the Psych Department moved into a new building John reluctantly agreed to become Chair. As I recall John’s account, no one would accept the position. The chair position had become punching bag at numerous, lengthy faculty meetings that never resolved contentious issues.

This ended when after some years of conflict, faculty turned to their steady, cool-headed colleague, John, who reluctantly agreed to become the departmental chair. But in keeping with the tenor of the 1960s and 1970s, John imposed non-negotiable demands that in time brought relief. There was a crafty logic to his demands. His non-negotiables made it easy for committee recommendations be adopted by making it hard for a few drawn-to-conflict professors to demand a department-wide meeting. Most faculty members were happy enough to establish most policies by committee, and only meet for discussion when enough were willing to sign a petition for a meeting. John had deftly found a way for the vast majority of faculty to do what they had wanted: let John and elected committees run things, and let them get on with their teaching and research.

After his retirement, John wrote an auto-biographical account of his childhood in Macon, Georgia. A very readable account of a unique situation — John’s was the only Chinese family in the city that was strictly, and forcibly segregated. In addition to a highly personal recounting of his life, true to his nature John included a scholarly component. His purpose was giving context to his family’s circumstances, including engaging accounts re: Chinese immigration and the laundry trade. It is a marvelous read.

Four more books followed https://yinandyangpress.webs.com. Each covered a different perspective on the Chinese experience in America. For his last book, I was honored by John to write Foreword, from which the following borrows:

"John Jung never aspired to be astonishing. It just keeps happening. After a long, productive career as a psychology professor and researcher, he started a whole new career. Like Odysseus retiring from war to become an intrepid traveler, in retirement John began an odyssey of astonishing creativity and growth.

His journey began with a memoir, but not the sort expected of a retired psychology professor. He pivoted to a new topic and genre. A flavor of his first post-retirement book, Southern Fried Rice, is reflected by a reviewer’s comments printed on the back cover:
... Based on his experience as a child in the only Chinese family in [1930s] Macon, Georgia . . ., Jung's story is a fascinating account of the negotiation of personal and ethnic identity in a foreign environment. His narrative highlights many of the features of the larger society, including both government policy and situational practice, that shape the lives of immigrants, both then and now."

Including this new book, “A Chinese American Odyssey,” John, the astonisher, has published five books as a public historian of the Chinese in America. Astonishing. Again.

Perhaps his talent for astonishment emerged when he and his family lived above their laundry from the 1920s until the mid-1950s, the only Chinese in the city. Operating a laundry was not unusual for an immigrant Chinese family, but its location was: the harshly segregated, Deep South city of Macon, Georgia.

There were only two social addresses in 1930s Macon: White or Black. The Jung children posed a dilemma for practitioners of racial apartheid. Apparently the local cultural solution was declaring John and his family White or at least treating them as non-Black. He remembers as a small boy being scolded by a White woman for drinking from a water fountain reserved for Blacks. He had been socially declared White, but his mother taught it wasn’t true. He was Chinese. But he was still directed to the White water fountains and attended the White-only public schools.

He didn’t feel Chinese no matter what his mother told him, or racist insults assumed. He did not know Chinese cultural ways of being and interacting, something he quickly discovered when teenaged John, his mother, and siblings moved into San Francisco’s large, robust Chinese community. He was accepted as Chinese, but he never identified fully with being Chinese.
In high school, college, and graduate school, John practiced cultural assimilation. Armed with a Ph.D. from Northwestern’s prestigious psychology department, and mentored by a leading learning researcher of the era (B. J. Underwood), John succeeded as a professor in Canada and California. He taught well, published often, and did not perish.

Many who knew John from graduate school to retirement (including myself) never learned of his family history. He never talked about it. To my knowledge he never expressed any strong interest in racial and ethnic topics or issues, even during ‘60s and ‘70s when they were often headline news.

So he is accurate when he reports in this book becoming a public historian of Chinese in America was “especially improbable because my personal identification as a Chinese American was not a strong one, partly because my contact with Chinese people had been minimal during most of my life, especially in my youth…. During my high school and college years, although I developed cordial friendships with Chinese peers in a Chinatown community center and church, I always felt I was not “as Chinese” as they were. …. my Chinese identity that had started to develop during my high school and college years in the San Francisco bay area deteriorated, and continued to be minimal at best for many years.”

Given this history, neither John, or any of us who knew him the last 55 years, would have predicted in retirement he’d become a significant contributor to Chinese-American history studies. A compelling voice for Chinese-Americans growing up in families that operated laundries, groceries, and restaurants.
But there’s more to John’s post-retirement books than interesting history and sound scholarship. In retirement, the books he’s written recount a personal journey from fully assimilated American to discovery of a Chinese identity to a fully bi-cultural Chinese American identity. In a sense, this book might entitled “An American Chinese Odyssey” to reflect better the direction taken in his post-retirement journey.

Personal growth is also an underlying theme in Homer’s The Odyssey. Growth portrayed as a journey of challenging times, multiple temptations, and successes too. “A Chinese American Odyssey” recounts John’s growth not only in a new discipline but in his feeling Chinese.

But this book is much more than a story of his personal growth. It proves that retirement need not be an end, but can be a beginning. It’s an inspiration not only for old professors, but everyone –– because sooner or later, if you are lucky, you will retire and wonder what’s left. A lot is possible, if you know John’s story.

For those inspired in retirement to become an author, “A Chinese American Odyssey” can help. In this book John focused “on the creative process of research, discovery, and writing, the self-publishing process, and the tasks of self-promotion and marketing. This is a personal account, and not a “How To” guide. Rather I describe the ups and downs of planned and unplanned experiences that unfolded in my new career.”

“A Chinese American Odyssey” implies in several places that John regards this as his final act as public historian. But knowing his history, who would be astonished if he did it again –– started a new research project, wrote another book? I wouldn’t. After all, Odysseus didn’t remain idle when he ended his journey."

And through his works and personal example, he is still teaching.

Ronald Gallimore
ronaldg@ucla.edu

John was truly an Odysseus himself which I got to tell him at a dinner we had May 22, 2021 with Jeff Lee, his cousins Donna Lee and my cousin Steven Lu
and his son Eric in Monterey Park. He gifted me another copy of his Chinese American Odyssey: How a Retired Psychologist Became a Hit as a Historian
which I had at home along with his other books. I used to drive him from his brother's home in San Carlos to meet with Bill Wong, Brian Tom, and Stan Lou when he was in town. He introduced me to Chang Chiuchen who does Herstory exhibits. He was a natural connector of people, which is how he started the facebook for Mississippi Chinese which turned into Frieda Quon's Mississippi Delta Chinese Museum at Delta State University in Cleveland, MS.
This work is carried on by Baldwin Chiu and Larissa Lam Far East, Deep South. He truly made a difference in putting our generation as progeny of laundries, restaurants, and grocery stores in touch with our parents' legacies and role in history. Thank you, John.

Dear John,

It was an honor to know you. Your writings on Chinese American life is an inspring permanent legacy for generations to come. May your soul rest in peace! 

Sheng-Tai Chang

John, a cousin I never got to meet in person but communicated with over several emails as John was researching one of his books. Even though email is not the best tool, John's passion for recovering family history and documenting the lives of Chinese in the south came through clearly.
I always thought we'd get meet sometime on one of his book tours, have a meal, and talk about how our family histories are connected. John 's contributions to giving voice to folks live through his personal connections, his academic work and his love of family and friends. A great loss.

I join everyone in grief over John's death. We had a friendship that grew from the one I had with Phyllis, whom I miss deeply. When John decided he wanted to write a memoir, I offered to edit and we worked together on the first book. I learned a great deal in a very personal way, about the life and hardships Chinese immigrants faced in the 1920s and 30s in the Deep South. It was exciting to see how the first book led to more work and more attention and great accolades in a growing cohort. John continued to be a good friend always -- he found the place for the Covid vaccines, at Dominguez Hills, went first, gave directions and suggestions and, thanks to him, and to my great relief, I got vaccinated in March, 2020. Thoughtful, caring, private, and brave -- that's how I think of John in the face of his struggle with lymphoma. It is with great sadness that I bid him farewell.

John was a beautiful kind man. So passionate and dedicated to all the things he valued in this world. Sending love and comfort to Jeff and Joe and all those feeling the loss of such a wonderful soul.

I am sorry to hear of John's passing. I never met John in person but he was very generous and helpful in answering my questions about Chinese history. I bought all of his books and learned so much from them. He will be missed by so many.

He opened some many doors for me and continues to inspire me to this very day. Dr. J, I will miss you and your wise words.

I have known John from the US-China Friendships Association of the Long Beach Chapter. He was one of the members of our Steering Committee for many years.
John was a wonderful friend. He was very intelligent, kind and helpful. Our Long Beach Chapter will missed him very much. Just July 15, 2021, our chapter received an email from John. Jeff, I can email you his last email to us.
Our prayers, love and thoughts are with you during this difficult times.

I first met Dr. Jung in his office at CSULB Psychology Department. I knocked on his door holding a flyer for Career Opportunities in Research (COR) Education Program. He initiated our very first interaction by asking, "What's your GPA?" Twenty seconds later, I was in. Thirty minutes later, I found myself in the COR research room on the 3rd floor in the Psychology Department building. At the same time, he gave me a job as an "editor" for his book, loaned me some books to read, and left me with 600-some pages of his manuscript. As I recall, this was the time I changed my career from Caretaker for Dr. Green's rats to Dr. Jung's editor. The following morning, I went to our COR room to start working. It was 7 in the morning. He was already there. Dr. Jung, the most efficient and the coolest person I have ever seen, became my model for learning, teaching, and caring. The COR room became my second home. This was 24 years ago.

Dr. Jung, I will miss you so much. I never thought my April 22, 2018 visit to your Cypress home would be our last meeting. I cannot express how grateful and happy I was to see you looking healthy and energetic even after receiving chemotherapy. Your hair was the longest and cutest I have seen in the past 24 years and I loved that style as you planned to grow. I will miss having intellectual conversations mixed with usual dry jokes and humor with you, learning "Go" from you, which I never learned, playing with Rufus and his toy.... We enjoyed each other's company, in particular, since we shared a common characteristic -- that never-idle mind. The photo you kept on the kitchen counter of your Cypress home is of my 84-year-old mom and myself. She was, is, and will be, a big fan of John Jung. We send our prayers and deepest condolences to Dr. Jung's family and friends.

May your body and soul rest in peace. Your memory will be in my heart. Your legacy and passion for learning will be passed on. You will be remembered by generations and continue inspiring us from above.

The death of John Jung is a great loss to his family. To all who knew him and his work. To those that had the good fortune to meet him with him. I was one that did meet John back in 2012 after many years of email friendship. When I informed John that we were going to Sab Francisco he was delighted and arrange for my husband and I to meet him. He was meeting with others earlier in the morning. We met for lunch and he introduced us to all that attended his talk. Greeted us as long lost friends.  John kept me up to date with his work and I did the same . He was very generous with his knowledge and his encouragement. He gave me the incentive to continue on my research path for which I shall always be grateful. A Kind, generous man. A sad day when he left us all. His UK followers will miss him greatly. I am one.

John had a tremendous influence on me. As a young student in 1982, I didn't have a specific direction. I only knew I loved psychology. I remember distinctly John lecturing in his research class and later he accepted me into the MARC program where he began mentoring and guiding me along with the other MARC students. He has informed my research in health psychology and the many projects I have been involved with throughout my career focused on helping students succeed. When he retired I remember commenting on how busy he was with his new passion Chinese history and he said, if he knew how fun retirement would be, he would have done it earlier. Now that I approach retirement, I think of John and his intelligence, passion, and love of people that will continue to influence me decisions in my retirement. It's impossible to express how much John has meant to me in just a few words. He is forever ingrained in my mind. Goodbye John. With love and honor. Richard Tafalla

I was particularly saddened to hear of cousin John's passing. I met him first in 2005 and immediately knew he was a relation because of his striking resemblance (and height) to my father's younger brother. I liked him right away and ended up really enjoying a lunch date I had not been particularly excited about having with a relation who was essentially a stranger.
My father, William Lau, was very proud of John and excited about his later work documenting their childhood and the experience of Chinese in the south. I personally found myself combing through their email exchanges and John's writing after my father's passing, and for the opportunity to learn and know more about my father's experience, I am eternally grateful. The work he leaves behind is important and I hope a comfort to those that loved him best. He was a model gentleman all around and will be greatly missed.

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” Marcel Proust

In every facet of my life, John inspired me—not by instruction but by example—to be a better person. The world is a bit colder, and certainly less interesting, than it was a few days ago.

I will miss you, old friend.

Jim

I will miss my swimming buddy and my author buddy. John and I enjoyed each other's company and humor. It seems fitting that the last book he loaned to me was a surrealistic fiction that dealt with death in Chinatown, in which the protagonist fights demons with a help of a spirit guide.
I smile remembering his slow swimming and my wondering why he didn't sink.
Death sucks. And although I am glad that John is no longer in pain, I hurt missing him.

I only knew John for less than 10 years. After learning his work on laundries and restaurants and connecting via Facebook I decided to invite him to visit Boston to speak in my university and the Chinatown community in November 2013. It was a lovely visit as we walked around Chinatown together and having him staying in Bridgewater for a day and meeting my colleagues having Indian food. Then we continued to correspond and I saw him again when I went to present at a conference in San Francisco. In that trip I brought together some of our mutual friends the late Chinese American photographer Corky Lee and San Francisco Leland Wong, and a historian in Chinese American ancestral villages. We had a memorable dinner with some of the well-known scholars, historian Him Mark Lai's late wife, historians such as the late Judy Yung, Jack Tchen, CESAR'S Sue Lee, David Lei, filmmaker Felicia Lowe, photographers Leland Wong and Alan Chin etc. That was a photo John would pose on Facebook in subsequent years. He also helped numerous younger folks getting more interested in Chinese American history. His academic career after retirement was an inspiration to many of us. I will miss checking in with John on Facebook. He loved his late wife dearly after her passing and he fought cancer courageously. He will be remembered by generations for his character and his work in Chinese American history. Rest in Peace, John!

I am particularly saddened to hear about John's passing. John and I shared many memories in common. As it turned out, our families owned adjacent properties in San Francisco as well as being in the same homeroom in high school. Professionally, we were faculty members at the same university and directed national grant programs to enhance academic preparation of underrepresented students for doctoral programs. We often saw each other on campus. In more recent years, both of us served on the Board of a cultural organization. John has made many contributions and his presence will be missed.

When I first learned of John's books about Chinese Americans from the deep South, I was so excited. I'd never seen our stories documented with such detail before. We met when he came to speak in Portland, and I was so lucky to become friends.

Through the years I've learned so much from John. His active correspondence, wit and humor, avid research, and social media sharing were always sources of generous knowledge.
Always thoughtful and kind, he had an amazing memory for everything from facts to people, dates to places. He was a magnificent storyteller, and we are all so fortunate he left us so many wonderful gifts.

John, you'll always be one of my heroes. It has been a honor and privilege to call you friend.
Rest in power ✊

We were at Lake Forest College where John made a presentation of his book Chinese American Odyssey. We walked past Carnegie Hall, and he suggested to take a photo, saying “Hey, we were at Carnegie Hall!”

Notable quote from John:

This is not Chinese American history; it IS American history.”

R I P John.

While sad over this great loss, I have spent the morning reviewing my many wonderful memories of John Jung. He gave me my first job as a part-time instructor in psychology at CSU Long Beach, when I returned after years of living abroad. Then over the decades, we became friends. I admired him greatly as a psychologist, and I was so impressed when he retired and became a historian, too. He was such a decent human being.

What a great GENTLEMAN! Beginning in 2006 I enjoyed working with Dr. Jung on his book about us Mississippi Delta Chinese CHOPSTICKS IN THE LAND OF COTTON. It was always great to visit with him here in Houston and at various Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum reunions. He and I kept in touch over the years and he constantly referred folks to me wanting information about our lives in Mississippi. Dr. John helped me find out about my own family history by referring me to the National Archives. He's left a great legacy about Chinese American History that no one else could have ever captured. Prayers for his family and friends like us.

I am so sorry on the terrible loss! Soo Lon Moy and I were communicating a few weeks ago, we were worried about him as no posts from his page lately. I was hoping he would come back like he did many times before...I am heart broken! He was the noblest human being I have ever seen. My heartfelt condolences to your family and friends!

I am grief stricken over the passing of my Uncle John.
My Uncle John looked so heathy and happy at his birthday party April 2, 2021. Our birthdays are two days apart. Every year we call each other on our birthdays.
Uncle John was the most amazing scholar, and insightful captivating speaker.
He was my favorite uncle.
I enjoyed spending time with him, ever since I was a toddler.
Being 6'6" he would lift Richard and I up to touch the ceiling in his room on Polk Street and spin us around as if we were airplanes on a carnival ride. He would play peekaboo with us and other child psychology games.
He would carry me on his shoulders and take me to Chinatown. Being that high up, let me see the world as he saw it a whole different perspective.
When I was old enough to read, Uncle John gave me “The Return to Oz”. Half the book was printed upside down, so I would sit in a chair upside down to read it.
Uncle John loved photography. He gave Richard and I a toy camera to take photos with. He used the bathroom as a darkroom, and would stick large prints on the inside walls of the bathtub to develop them, then hang them to dry. I was fascinated as photos would gradually appear on the wet white sheets of photo paper.
Uncle John gave us paper and colored pencils to draw with. He kept my drawings for decades until I had a family of my own. He noted that I drew what I saw, which was the refraction of light coming out of the partially cracked bedroom door at night, and the perspective of the long hallway growing to a zenith at the end.
One summer, after teaching in Toronto for years, he brought his new wife Phyllis to meet us. She was refined, intelligent and beautiful. We mimicked her Canadian accent, finding it exotic. Phyllis was such a breath of joy. If we did something wrong, she would say “I’ll slap you with a wet noodle!” and we would stop.
Our family would stay with them each summer for a few years, and go to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm.
Both Uncle John and Aunt Phyllis introduced us to “Alice In Wonderland” yet another way of seeing the world. Phyllis would call themselves Uncle Phyllis and Auntie John.
One summer, they went on vacation to Japan. Phyllis said that she expected the Japanese to look at her, but instead they were looking at 6’ 6” Uncle John towering above all the crowds wherever they went.
We had a new cousin, Jeff, and eventually an adopted baby cousin Tomy, because Jeff wanted a little brother. Jeff developed a creative imagination like I did. It was fun seeing his magic shows of “A la Peanut Butter Sandwich.” Brandy was their big coon hound. Uncle John loved having a dog.
When I was a student at UCLA, I would come down to his house often as a home away from home. Uncle John introduced me to the I-Ching, giving me my first set of Yarrow Sticks and I-Ching book.
At Long Beach State University, Uncle John’s courses were always booked up. With his modest sense of humor, he said “My classes are always filled. The students must think I’m related to Carl Jung.” I attended a few CSULB class parties at his house. Clearly his students really loved him.
After graduating from UCLA, Kurt and I moved to Bethesda Maryland for Kurt’s fellowship at NIH. Uncle John came and stayed with us a few days at a time over several years. One year it was freezing cold, our house had no heat, and Kurt wouldn’t let me buy a heater. Uncle John said that he would buy a heater, because he was cold. He went to Sears and got a large heater. I was so happy at his decisiveness and action. He brought a couple of his students each year to attend the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Conference in Washington DC. Uncle John published a few books on this topic. It was fun to meet his students and go to museums and Chinatown with them.
After Uncle John retired, he decided to interview grandma about her life. He wrote “Amazing Grace”. His legacy as a Chinese American Historian made history.
Uncle John continued to be wildly popular, being invited to give talks all over the country. He would come and stay with us in Oregon when he gave talks here. This allowed me to make friends with his local followers. I would sometimes meet him in Seattle or the San Francisco Bay Area for his talks there.
One year, Hong Kong TV got wind of his legend, and filmed a Mini-Series starring Uncle John, going around the country to places mentioned in his many books. The film crew came to Portland for one show. It was quite amazing, how they would go with him and film various different places around town.
I was with Uncle John after Phyllis died. He was grief stricken, saying that he had always thought that he would go first, not Phyllis. To counteract the grief, he said to me “I have to keep moving. I’m going to schedule a book tour in Hawaii.” Keep moving he did, even these last few years while battling cancer.
His slogan “When you drink the water, remember the source.”
You have been my Source Uncle John. You will always be with me.

John was very eager to come up to City College of San Francisco to give a slide talk program for the Downtown Campus Library in September 2014. The campus dean Geisce Ly introduced him to the attentive audience, mostly Chinese speaking ESL adult students, in the lecture hall on the 8th floor, along with the campus library coordinator, Suzanne Lo. Dean Ly emailed him a complimentary note and received a signed copy of his book, "Sweet & Sour." John had such a broad expertise about his subjects to write, publish and lecture around the states after his retirement. He will be truly missed.

Taking a moment to share the passing of our friend and Imagine Talks Alumni, John Jung. He was a great author and an inspiring speaker. I am happy and honored to have had him as part of my life's journey.