Daniel K Chang

Mr. Daniel KiaSing (JiaXin) Chang, beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, veteran local Chinese leader and former President of the San Diego Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association, passed away on September 19, 2021, in Los Osos, San Luis Obispo County, California, at the age of 91. A resident of San Diego, California, from 1971 until 2020, Daniel was originally from Kunming, Yunnan Province, China, and had a long line of famous people in his family. His father, Mr. BanHan Zhang, followed Dr. Sun Yat-Sen's revolutionary career in the South China Sea when he was a young boy. After the 1911 Revolution, he resigned from his high position in the Yunnan Provincial Government and went to France and Belgium to study, before returning to his hometown to serve as the Director of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Construction, the Director of the Department of Civil Affairs, and the Acting Director of the Yunnan Provincial Party Department of the Chinese KMT. As one of the four founders of Yunnan University, Mr. BanHan Zhang personally designed and supervised the construction of the main building of Yunnan University, "Huize Yuan," which still stands on the campus today. Together with his brother, Major General Zhang BanFan, who served as the commander of the Yunnan Provincial Military Police, and his sister, Ms. Zhang BanZhen, who served as a member of the examination committee of the Republic of China and a member of the Central Committee of the Kuomintang, Zhang BanHan is known to the people of Yunnan as the "Zhenxiong Zhang's Three Outstanding Men." Daniel was born on February 24, 1930, the fourth in his family, with two older brothers, one elder sister and one younger brother. He spent his youth in the fires of the war against Japan and entered Nanjing University in 1948. According to Mr. BanHan Zhang's arrangement, the four brothers were to study engineering, politics, agriculture, and medicine, professions which he believed would best help his country in the future. Daniel studied agriculture, but as Mao Zedong's army and cause grew, it became apparent to his father that he and his remaining two children in the country, Daniel, along with Felix, his youngest son, would need to leave China. Expecting to return at some time in the future, the following year, Mr. BanHan Zhang migrated to America to live with his eldest son, while Felix went to France to study Medicine and Daniel went to Australia, first to study English at a school in Western Australia, and then in 1950, moved with a friend to the east coast of Australia to continue to improve his English at Gatton College outside of Brisbane. A year later, Daniel applied for admission to the University of Queensland to continue his studies in Agricultural Sciences. During his application process, he met Ms. Gladys Young, a second-generation Chinese Australian, at the boarding house where she was helping the boarders fill out their university application forms. The two soon fell in love and married in 1953. After graduating from the university, Daniel received a loan from his father-in-law to start a farm in Gracemere near their home in Rockhampton. Between 1955 and 1965, Philip, the eldest son, Michael, the second son, and Marina were born. In 1971, at the invitation of his eldest brother, Paul, Daniel immigrated to the United States with his family and settled in La Jolla, California. After graduating from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Paul founded Techbilt, a real estate development company, and became the first Chinese to be inducted into the California Building and Construction Hall of Fame. Upon joining Techbilt, Daniel worked as a site manager on many projects for over three decades until his retirement. Daniel loved China and had always been passionate about serving the Chinese community. He was devoted to sharing the depth of Chinese culture and its history in the community and fostering respect and admiration for all Asians, especially the Chinese, ardently helping those in need. While studying in Australia, he founded the first Overseas Chinese Students Association, which later grew into the Overseas Asian Students Association. After settling in San Diego, Daniel became very active in the local community, serving as the Director and Chairman of the San Diego Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association and contributing to the promotion of the association and the construction of a senior citizen's residence. He passionately and enthusiastically supported the local Southeast Asian Chinese and other migrant communities from mainland China and hosted many cultural and artistic groups from mainland China and Taiwan, as well as other delegations. He was also the interpreter between China, the US and the San Diego Zoo when the first giant female panda, Bai Yung, was gifted to America. Mr. Chang's outstanding dedication to the local Chinese community will be forever remembered, with the city of San Diego declaring March 22, 2009, Daniel Chang Day, in recognition of his commitment. Survivors include his wife, Gladys Chang; his children Philip (Frieda), Michael (Jin), and Marina Chang; grandchildren Nicholas, Serena, Pius, Harmony and Angela, brother Felix (Marjorie) Tchang and many nieces and nephews. Mr. Chang was preceded in death by his brothers Paul Tchang, Peter Chang, his sister Jacqueline Chan, and sisters-in-law Rose Tchang and Dagmar Chang.

Spearheaded by fellow longtime Chinese community leader and good friend Dr. Lilly Cheng, along with David Du, George Peng, and Sally Wong-Avery, A Celebration of Life of Daniel Chang will be held on Saturday, October 30, 10a, at the CCBA (Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association) Community Center, 438 Third Ave in San Diego. Attendees are requested to wear masks. As the Center cannot accept any flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the CCBA so that Daniel's and the Association's good works can continue into prosperity. Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association Contact 428 Third Avenue San Diego, California 92101