Kathleen Kit Lin Lum Tang

Kathleen Kit Lin Lum Tang, 89, died peacefully in her sleep on June 13, 2025. Born to Tai Chun Lum and Bernice Ching Lum in the territory of Hawaii on October 13, 1935, Kathleen was a witness to the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. After attending college, Kathleen moved to San Francisco in 1962 where she met her future husband, Jack C. Tang. After their marriage on February 13, 1963, Kathleen and Jack moved to his hometown of Phoenix, Arizona,where they started their family of four children, Lawrence, Melissa, Stanton and Anthony.

Kathleen was an active member in the Desert Jade Women’s Club in Phoenix. Her culinary skills were much appreciated, and she contributed to the Desert Jade’s Tea and Chopsticks cookbooks. Kathleen also demonstrated traditional Chinese American recipes in a television news cooking segment on Phoenix television in the late 1960’s. Kathleen’s cooking and managerial skills were instrumental in the success of her family’s La Placita Mexican Restaurants.

Kathleen was active at First United Methodist Church of Phoenix and Dayspring United Methodist Church of Tempe.

Kathleen was preceded in death by her husband Jack and grandson Jack Ethanael Tang. She is survived by son Lawrence, daughter Melissa Lee (Doug), son Stanton (May), son Anthony (Katherine) and grandchildren Timothy Lee, Joshua Lee, Samantha Lee, Ashlee Tang and Riley Tang.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, July 26, 2025 at 11:30am at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, 60 E. 5th Street, Tempe. Aloha casual, Phoenix Suns or ASU apparel encouraged.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Desert Jade Women’s Club can be sent to:

Tang’s Enterprise

Attention: Lawrence Tang / Desert Jade

2302 E Indian School Road

Phoenix, AZ 85016