Hazel D. So
Passed away peacefully on Monday, June 29, 2020 at Peninsula del Rey at the age of 92, seven years after the death of her beloved husband Gin. She was a loving mother to Sharon and proud grandmother of Alyssa.
Hazel was a second generation native San Franciscan, who grew up in Chinatown, the eighth of nine siblings, two of whom (Mabel and Jack) survive her. She was fluent in both Cantonese and English, having attended St. Mary’s Elementary School, Chung Wah after-school Chinese program, Francisco Junior High, and Polytechnic High School. She, like all her siblings, grew up working at the family grocery store on Clay and Stockton Streets during her school years.
As a young adult, Hazel became a passionate mah jong player and avid bowler, who along with her late sister Catherine and a few girlfriends, formed the first Chinese all-female bowling league at Broadway Bowl. They both also loved to ride bikes and drive to different cities to compete in bowling tournaments.
While attending classes at CCSF and working at China Dry Goods, Hazel met her future husband, and they married in 1951. Shortly thereafter, she started working for the State of California, eventually becoming the Executive Secretary to the State Commissioner of Banking, where she retired at 59. Throughout their working years, she and Gin remained socially active, playing mahjong with friends and relatives, bowling in several leagues, and traveling and cruising to different parts of the world, pastimes they continued to pursue into their retirement.
In 2011, Hazel and Gin moved to the beautiful senior community of Peninsula del Rey in Daly City, which for them, was like living in a luxury hotel. After Gin passed away, Hazel chose to remain there because it enabled her to live independently and feel safe while still being active socially.
There will be a private celebration-of-life service on Wednesday July 15. Due to Covid concerns, the service will be recorded and a link will be sent to friends and relatives. Committal will be at Olivet Memorial Park at 12:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, donations in Hazel’s memory can be made to the Norman Fong SRO Housing Legacy Fund at the Chinatown Community Development Center info@ chinatowncdc.org.