Cecilia Tang(née Hsieh Yun-Hua) was born in Tianjin, China, on April 10, 1930, the youngest of seven children. While her early life unfolded amid political turmoil, she still enjoyed a relatively carefree childhood in Qingdao with her siblings and father after her mother's passing.
As a teenager, she attended a prestigious Catholic school in Jinan, where she excelled in academics and the arts, particularly in music. There, she adopted the name "Cecilia" at her baptism—the patron saint of music. While in school, she developed a passion for English language and dreamed of studying in America. Before graduation, her dream came true when she received a scholarship to attend university in the U.S. In 1948, with support from her family, Cecilia journeyed to Omaha, Nebraska, to attend Duchesne College just before China closed its borders in 1949. She would not return to China or reunite with her siblings for another 30 years.
Despite being cut off from her family, Cecilia persisted in her education with the help and support of her community at Duchesne. Due to the generosity of her friends, teachers, and mentors, she was never alone and thrived in her new environment. She went on to earn a master’s in sociology at Loyola University in Chicago, where she met her husband, Cyrus Tang. Together, they built a new life and a family of their own with two children, Michael and Emily.
Throughout her life, Cecilia always stood at the heart of her community. As a wife and partner, she helped build Cyrus’ business ventures by entertaining and fostering deep relationships with his clients while managing their household. Like the generous support she received as a new immigrant, she also opened her home to her extended family as she and Cyrus sponsored various relatives to come to the U.S. As a friend, she actively connected with people everywhere she went and maintained a full social calendar. As the family matriarch, her home was the central gathering place for birthdays, holidays, and other milestones. Cecilia embodied the feeling of home as she always created an atmosphere of warmth, safety, and love.
Cecilia House stands as a testament to her extraordinary legacy, representing the lasting strength of home, hope, and the unbreakable connections that shape our lives.