Pearl Hwa Tan

Pearl Chun Chu Hwa Tan passed away on October 3, 2024, surrounded by her family at her home in San Antonio, Texas. She was born on July 18, 1945 in Ping Tung, Taiwan to her parents Ching-Ji and Sung Shin-Mei Hua.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Yiquing and Yishun, and four sisters, Jinyu, Jinzhi, Chunzhu, and Shunmei. Pearl is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Constante Tan, their two children and their spouses, Nathan and Judy Shumway and Derrick and Winny Tan; and their beloved grandchildren, Adam, Jack, Avery, and Chloe. She also leaves a devoted extended family of in-laws, nephews, nieces, their spouses, children, and grandchildren: Ruimei, Xiuyue, Sizhang, Douglas, Jane, Jack, Michelle, Weihsun, Weipo, Suelynn, Steven, Kathleen, Xikong, Stephanie, John, Jeffrey, Carlos, Matthew, Alice, Jingxiu, Liangjin, Elizabeth, Jennifer, Phil, Meiling, Sophia, Linda, John, John, Yunting, Joanna, Howard, Tony, Patty, Joshua, Hanna, Aurora, Daniel, Miles, Natalya, Will, Yuanjia, Yuanan, Patrick, Robert, Xiocheng, Xiaokai, Victoria, Issac, and Tommy, and grandchildren, En-Hsin and Isaac.

Pearl’s interests were varied, starting her career as a technician in a biochemical lab with the US Naval Station in Taiwan and studying nursing and midwifery before leaving Taiwan at the young age of 23 years. She immigrated to the US and worked as a Registered Professional Nurse in Canada and New York. Years after she had her children, she decided to pursue a Bachelor’s degree and earned a BS in Computer Science in 1987. She owned and operated a commercial real estate company, Realty 2000, and later chose to return to school for a Masters in Computer Science. Prior to retiring she taught introductory Computer Science at Salisbury University.

Pearl was the life of the family, driven and determined to make a difference in the lives of any who knew her. Her energy was everlasting and her will to live life to the fullest was unstoppable. She appreciated what the world had to offer and seized new opportunities that illuminated her path forward. It was bold to leave her home in Taiwan, but her ambition led her to work as a nurse at the Brooklyn VA Hospital, where she met Constante, who was in his second year of Internal Medicine residency. The two explored Chinatown regularly and shared a taste for Kentucky Fried Chicken. They later married on August 28, 1971.

Pearl had a life filled with loving experiences that she shared widely with others. Fearless, determined, and strong-willed, she was graced with the gift of knowing exactly what she wanted and needed. She was a changemaker who had a positive impact on so many lives, creating opportunities for others that otherwise would be unrealized. She was a highly successful matchmaker, often connecting couples across continents. She was often looked to for her Mandarin to English translation, as she was highly competent in both languages. In 2017 Pearl worked with her grandsons’ middle school club basketball team to coordinate basketball exhibition games in Shanghai and Beijing. It was a tremendous experience for these American teenagers. She went on to collaborate with the San Antonio Spurs organization to host a basketball summer camp for Chinese students to visit the US. She was a daughter, sister, wife, aunt, mother, and grandmother. She cherished her family and expressed it in her gifts and acts of service.

Pearl had numerous other passions and was not afraid to try new things. She had quite a green thumb, growing her own vegetables and fruits in her backyard. She was creative and innovative, always working towards a new goal. Pearl found her strong Christian faith later in life that provided her with love, peace, and comfort. She has touched so many and will never be forgotten.

MEMORIAL SERVICESATURDAY, OCTOBER 19, 20242:00 PMPORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH2102 N. LOOP 1604 E.

Pastor Sean Metcalf will officiate. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Tzu Chi a Taiwanese international humanitarian organization whose mission is to relieve the suffering of those in need while creating a better world for all through compassion, love, and hope.

To view the service for Pearl Tan, click here.