Suh-Hwa Tiao

Suh-Hwa Tiao began her life in 1919, born into a prominent family in Shandong Weihai, a northern province in China. Her father was a wealthy businessman, in the fishing boat business and her mother had lived during the Lotus feet era, where noble women had their feet bound to show status.

Suh-Hwa married her first love, Pi-Shu Tiao, at the age of 24. Then dark times plagued China, as the communist party led by Mao Zedong took over China. In 1949 Suh-Hwa, pregnant with her first child, fled China with her husband on a small boat to Keelung, Taiwan. Arriving in this safe harbor with literally nothing more than the clothes on their backs, she gave birth to her first child, Sam Diau. Here, in this refugee camp, she began her new life in Taiwan. From living in tents at the refugee camp, Suh-Hwa and her husband would welcome their 2nd and 3rd child (Mena Yao, Mark Tiao) and build a modest life in Taiwan.

At the age of 65, in 1989, she would then immigrant again to a foreign country where she knew neither the language nor culture. It was here in the United States she would live the remainder of her extraordinary life. Suh-Hwa is survived and loved by her 3 children (Sam Diau, Meina Yao, Mark Tiao), 8 grandchildren (Annie Yao, Marvin Diau, Ashley Yao, Peter Yao, Benjamin Diau, Christine Lin, David Tiao, Stephanie Diau), and 7 great-grandchildren (Jaime Lin, Kyle Diau, Ava Lin, Viktoria Diau, Brody Diau, Kaiya Diau, James Lin). Suh-Hwa would remind each and every one of us that love and compassion are the two most important things in life. We cherish and honor Suh-Hwa by living with integrity and love. Continue to live from her example, a woman who lived a century and has seen the extremes of life.

Services to honor her will be held on Sunday, September 8 with a time of visitation at 11:00AM at Nelsen Funeral Home, 3785 Strawberry Plains Rd., Williamsburg, followed by a 12:00PM graveside service at Williamsburg Memorial Park, 130 King William Dr., Williamsburg.

We honor her and the sacrifices she made for family. We will truly miss you. Rest in peace, till we meet again.