Mireille C. Hanft
July 5, 1953 – March 18, 2021
On March 18, 2021, Mireille passed away peacefully in her Walnut Creek home, surrounded by family at her bedside. Mireille was the epitome of grace and courage after being diagnosed with advanced Stage 4 lung cancer in June, 2017. Mireille was born and raised in Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia to her parents Wing Fong Chunne (Chung) and Denise Lanoux (Tang Loung). She was one of 11 children, all of whom remained close throughout their lives.
At 17, after graduating from High School, Mireille decided she wanted to make a new life for herself by embarking on a new adventure in the United States. Speaking no English upon her arrival, she quickly adapted herself, and after 1 year, enrolled at Cal State Hayward. During her early years in America, she held various jobs In Honolulu, the San Francisco bay area, and finally Southern California. In 1979 she married Richard E. Hanft in Placentia, California, and, shortly after starting her family, began her career with the Social Security Administration, initially working part time in downtown Los Angeles, before being promoted and holding various roles in SSA’s Los Angeles and Burbank offices.
After moving to Walnut Creek in 1992 and working in the SSA Oakland office, she transferred into SSA’s western region’s payment center in Richmond. While there, Mireille received numerous promotions and awards of distinction and was instrumental in starting a pilot ICTU program, overseeing a staff of 85 people which later became a permanent operating unit. During her final years, Mireille enjoyed the outdoors, often times walking 3-4 miles a day with her husband, whether it be back to her childhood home along the historic waterfront / marina district in Papeete, or along the walking paths of her Hawaiian home away from home in Princeville & Kaanapali, or along the Arbolado Park / Boundary Oaks golf course on the Ygnacio Canal Trail next to her home.
Mireille is survived by her husband of nearly 42 years, Dick, along with her identical twin daughters Drusilla & Rachelle, and son Peter and her 7 grandchildren. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a memorial service and burial will be privately held. Her family is requesting donations in her name be made to Hospice East Bay.