Darleen Min Lum

Darleen Min Lum passed away peacefully on May 9th in San Francisco, California. She fought a hard but short battle with cancer. She is survived by her partner Christopher Bricker, their cats Chairman Meow and Peppers, her parents Tim and Fuling Lum, brother James, sister-in-law Delilah, and nephew Kobe. Born and raised in Charlottesville, Virginia, Darleen attended Venable and Hollymead Elementary Schools, Jack Jouett Middle School, and Albemarle High School where she did flag and rifle corps, and field hockey. Her first jobs as a teen were at local favorites the Chick-Fil-A, Boar’s Head Inn, and Kafkafe. Darleen graduated from the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, earning a Bachelors and Masters in Accounting. She found success as a consultant at all of the Big Four accounting firms and was considered an expert in her field of nonprofit tax accounting. Darleen’s long career as CPA spanned striving for startups to servicing nonprofits and preparing taxes for people like Werner Herzog. Her deep compassion and commitment to bettering underprivileged communities and the world coupled with her endearing sense of humor made Darleen a barrier breaker. She enjoyed bridge, live music, and travel. Later in life she discovered a joy for tap dancing and became a veggie cook extraordinaire. She was especially impassioned by the plight of endangered sea turtles and had a particular fondness for the Beatles. Friends will miss Darleen’s unique style and sensibility. She was a loving aunt, sister, and daughter to her family. She will be remembered for her gregarious personality that showcased her silly wit for almost everyone she knew.