Dora Han Lum

Dora Yei Suk Han was born on the Big Island of Hawaii in the village of Pahala on June 7, 1920. Her parents, Rev. Myung Kyo Han and Grace Eun Sung Lee, immigrated to Hawaii from Korea in 1919. The family moved to Honokaa, Hawaii where Dora attended elementary school. When her family moved to Honolulu to open a laundry and dry cleaning shop, she attended and graduated from McKinley High School. She married Yau Fai Lum, a police officer, in 1942.

Her principal occupation was that of a Korean Translator with the Department of Immigration and Naturalization and a Deputy for the Federal Courts. After she retired she had some minor roles in the original TV series, Hawaii Five-O. She loved to talk about her roles and her brush with stars such as Jack Lord. She was very artistic, loved art, sketching and watercolor. She also enjoyed hula dancing, played the piano and liked to sing. She and Fai traveled to visit their children and grandchildren often.

Yau Fai died in 2000 at age 89 after 59 years of marriage. After Fai died, she lived alone in their long-time residence in Kaimuki District until 2006 when she moved into Kahala Nui Retirement Home as an independent resident. She continued her travels which also included Korea, China, visiting the big island with daughter Carrie and family and taking an inter-island cruise with, Elliott and Linda. In 2011, she moved to California to be closer to her son, Elliott.

Dora H. Lum, 95, died peacefully on October 3, 2015 at Sunrise at La Costa nursing home, with Seasons Hospice at her side during her final days. She is survived by three children: Elliott (Carlsbad), Carrie Tillett (Worcester, UK) and Lynnette Jordan (Johnson City, TN) nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Her brothers, John, Samuel and Joseph and sister Mary preceded her in death.