Charles But-Yue Chiu

Charles But-Yue Chiu, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at the age of 86 with his family by his side on August 4, 2024, following cardiac arrest and a prolonged battle with kidney disease.

Charles served honorably for 25 years in the U.S. Air Force, retiring as a Master Sergeant and dedicated over 30 years working for the Employment Development Department (EDD).

Charles Chiu was born on April 17, 1938, in the district of Sunwui (also known as Xinhui), in the city of Kongmoon (also known as Jiangmen), Guangdong Province, China, to K.C. Lou, a merchant in Pace, Mississippi, and Jung Yuk Lon. He was their younger child, with an older sister. When Charles was one year old, his father returned to Mississippi to run their family grocery store. Strict U.S. immigration laws of that era, such as the Chinese Exclusion Act, made it difficult for Chinese women and children to enter the United States. When Charles was eight years old, his father passed away in Mississippi. As a result, Charles never had the opportunity to know his father.

Charles’ grandmother, Shee Chin, promised her son that she would bring Charles to the U.S. for better opportunities. At the age of 14, Charles traveled from China to the United States aboard the S.S. Cleveland, arriving in San Francisco in 1952, with his grandmother. He attended Oakland Technical High School and worked various jobs to support himself and his grandmother.

Faith played a significant role in Charles’ life. He began attending chapel services during his time in the Air Force and was baptized at the First Chinese Baptist Church in San Francisco. Later, he became a member of The Salvation Army. It was through a minister at The Salvation Army that he would meet his future wife, Rebecca.

Charles exchanged letters with Rebecca while she was still living in Hong Kong. Their long-distance relationship blossomed into marriage on August 12, 1973. Together, they raised two sons, Baldwin and Edwin. In 1982, Charles moved his family from San Francisco to Rancho Cordova, CA. He and his family attended Sacramento Chinese Baptist Church and most recently attended Chinese Grace Bible Church.

Besides his family, Charles loved cars, cruises and Chinese food. Though he was a quiet person, he was very competitive when playing Chinese chess and ping pong. He also enjoyed watching nature documentaries, air shows and PBS.

In recent years, Charles developed a profound understanding of his family’s history. He and his family were featured in the documentary Far East Deep South, which premiered in 2021 on the PBS World Channel’s series “America ReFramed.” The film follows his journey in discovering his lost family history and that of the Chinese families in Mississippi during the Jim Crow and Chinese Exclusion era. Through this journey, Charles gained insight into the complex circumstances that separated him from his father and the depth of his father’s love.

Subsequently, Charles became passionate about educating others about restrictive immigration laws like the Chinese Exclusion Act and the interconnected history between the Black and Chinese American communities in the segregated South. He also sought to highlight the long-standing legacy that many Chinese families, including his own, have in America.

He is survived by his wife, Rebecca, with whom he enjoyed nearly 51 years of marriage; his sons, Baldwin and Edwin; his daughters-in-law, Larissa and Donna; and his granddaughters, Caliya, Madilyn, and Katelyn.

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In lieu of flowers, you can express sympathy by considering making a charitable donation to Far East Deep South's continuing education campaign via non-profit, Artists for Community Transformation, to fund nationwide screenings at churches, museums and schools of the documentary about Charles' family story and expand Asian American history education under the designation "In Memory of Charles Chiu."

http://donate.fareastdeepsouth.com

All other expressions of sympathy can be made directly to the family.

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