Jerry C. Chang

Jerry C. Chang (born Chang Chou-yu) peacefully passed away at age 95 on January 1, 2018 in the comfort of his home. Born on October 30, 1922 in Ningyuan, Hunan Province, China, to Chang Jin-Bei and Li Ju-Qing, Jerry spent his adolescence and young adulthood leading and caring for the people of his village throughout the Second Sino-Japanese War during World War II. After the conclusion of the war, Jerry graduated from National Hunan University in 1948 with a Bachelor's degree in Hydraulic Engineering. Soon after, he moved to Taiwan in 1948 where he met his wife, Alice Chang (born Soong Tsai-Ling). There, he served as the principal engineer for the Shimen Water Reservoir Development Commission for several years until he immigrated to the United States in 1962 and earned a Master's degree in Soil Mechanics and Structure & Foundation Engineering from the Department of Civil Engineering at Louisiana State University. Eventually, his wife and five daughters joined him in the United States in 1965, and together, they settled in Sacramento, California, where he worked as a Civil Engineer for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Water Resources, California Department of Transportation, Sacramento Municipal Utility District, and lastly, the California Seismic Commission. Upon his retirement, he established his own engineering consulting firm and also served as a member of the California Seismic Commission. Outside of civil engineering, Jerry also took a special interest in politics and the greater Sacramento Asian community, founding the Sacramento Chinese Mandarin Club and the Chinese-American Republican Club and serving on various U.S. Congressional Advisory Boards under President Reagan and H.W. Bush. In addition, he was invited by the Chinese Academy of Science and the Department of Energy to lecture throughout China. After about forty years of service in many capacities, Jerry retired and spent his time maintaining a healthy lifestyle, reading the Chinese newspaper, traveling the world, and most of all, enjoying the company of his family and friends. Jerry served as an inspiration to all of his family, especially his daughters, by instilling in them the values of family, education, and community service that he embodied throughout his long, adventurous life. Jerry always dreamed big and was able to accomplish all of his goals except for winning the elusive lottery jackpot. Jerry is survived by his wife of 65 years, Alice; his five daughters, Nancy Jeong (Bennett), Frances Mizuno (Brian), May Chang (Jeff Lee), Wendy Chang, and Lilly Wang (John); his ten grandchildren; and his four (and counting) great-grandchildren, all of whom live in the Northern California, Los Angeles, and Portland areas. A viewing will be held on Saturday, January 6, from 3-5 PM, and the funeral service will be held on Sunday, January 7, at 10 AM. Both will be held at the Harry A. Nauman & Son Funeral Home at 4041 Freeport Blvd, Sacramento, CA 95822. In-lieu of flowers, charitable contributions can be made to ACC Care Center, 701 Rush River Dr, Sacramento, CA 95831 or the charity of your choice.