Elsie Chew Jang's Obituary
A lifelong Oaklander, Elsie was born November 8, 1935, the youngest of 6 children. Her parents were Chew Jung Him and Chew Fong Shee. She attended Lincoln Elementary School and Westlake Junior High School. She graduated from Oakland Technical High School and earned her Associate Degree from Merritt College. She worked in the Oakland Unified School District’s Accounts Payable Office for over 40 years and retired in 1996.
Elsie was a dedicated and loyal mother, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, wife, and friend. She is survived by children Dennis Jang (wife Susan) and Nancy diSibio (husband Guy) and five grandchildren, Russell, Randy, Andrew, Christopher and Matthew. She is also survived by her sister Lillian Don and numerous nephews, nieces and their families. She was predeceased by her husband Bruce Jang and brothers Paul Chew, Hon Chew, Alvin Chew, sister May Lim and cousin Bill Chew.
During Elsie’s younger days, she loved bowling, going to dances at the “Y” with friends, traveling on bus tours, attending musicals, and playing slot machines. When she became a grandma, she babysat often and loved grocery shopping and cooking. Some of her favorite dishes to eat included steamed pork with salted fish and soups with pork and vegetables. Most recently, Elsie enjoyed solving word search puzzles, reading the East Bay Times and People magazine, and watched news programs and tv shows such as, “The Voice,” “Dancing with the Stars,” and “Check Please.” At all times, she loved to dine out with her friends and family. She especially looked forward to the annual Chinese New Year dinners and hearing the latest happenings from the extended Chew and Jang families.
Elsie recently celebrated her 90th birthday. Despite her aging body, her mind remained alert and strong. For Christmas she was determined to travel to her daughter’s home, in which the entire immediate family gathered for dinner. She soaked in the piano melodies that her grandsons played for her. In the early morning of December 27, 2025, Elsie passed away peacefully at home. Her heart felt complete.
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