SAN FRANCISCO — Rosalind K. Uno, age 89, passed away on July 18 following a massive stroke.

Rosalind Uno

She had been living independently in the company of her cat, Bella. On the day before the stroke, she got her hair done, had visits with her neighbors and family, and ate her favorite bento box dinner, fully enjoying the simple pleasures of her life.

Rosalind Mitsuyo (Michan) was born on Nov. 14, 1933 in San Francisco to Saburo and Mine Harada Kido. She had two younger brothers, Laurence (predeceased) and Wallace Kido. Her early life was spent in Berkeley until it was disrupted by the World War II exclusion of people of Japanese ancestry from the West Coast.

Her family initially relocated inland to Visalia to a household with an outhouse rather than the indoor plumbing she was accustomed to, and rural life as opposed to an urban environment.

The next destination was a War Relocation Authority camp, Poston II in Arizona, where she experienced a trauma that stayed with her for her lifetime. One night, her family was locked in their unit by six other incarcerees opposed to the Japanese American Citizens League’s (JACL) pro-U.S. government stance. Her father, the wartime president of the National JACL, was severely beaten with handmade ironwood clubs for 45 minutes while the family could only watch.

Due to safety concerns for the family, they were moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. After the war, the family relocated to Los Angeles, where Rosalind completed high school.

In 1953, Rosalind married Edison Uno and had their first daughter, Elizabeth, while living in Los Angeles. After a few years, the family moved to San Francisco’s Nihonmachi so that Edison could pursue law school. By the early 1960’s, the Uno family moved to the Richmond district and the family grew with the birth of their second daughter, Rosanne.

While Edison left law school due to a heart attack and pursued administrative positions, Rosalind was a full-time homemaker and mother of that era. Elizabeth recalls her mother hanging laundry out in the backyard with Rosanne in the laundry cart, making grilled cheese sandwiches, and watching soap operas in the afternoon. While life was somewhat idyllic, Edison’s health condition was ever-present.

As the decade rolled out with the advent of the civil rights movement and as Edison became more politically active on many fronts, Rosalind also grew politically in her own style. She fed and supported student activists when they met in the Uno home. Later, in the 1980s, Rosalind followed the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians and attended the commission hearings when they came to San Francisco.

In 1976, Rosalind was widowed when Edison’s heart condition required surgery and he succumbed to complications. She faced many challenges, including learning to drive, managing her finances, taking college courses, and increasing her work hours.

Rosalind’s life was enriched by her decades-long association with the Frank McCoppin Elementary School community. After being a parent volunteer on the school site committee, she officially became an employee of the San Francisco Unified School District.

She worked at Frank McCoppin in many capacities: as a paraprofessional in the English as a Second Language (ESL) program, in a transitional first grade class, in the kindergarten class, as a lunch monitor, as an aide in the afterschool childcare program, and as a library aide. She continued to volunteer as a library aide up until the age of 86, when the pandemic closed school sites in 2020.

Rosalind made many close friends while working at Frank McCoppin, including other paras and teachers. “Mrs. Uno,” as she was known at McCoppin, made a lasting impression on generations of students. It was not unusual for adults, often with babies in strollers, to stop Rosalind in public spaces, to greet her and say, “I remember you from Frank McCoppin!”

Throughout her life, Rosalind was family-oriented. When Rosanne moved to Hawaii, Rosalind went to Kona to help her after the births of her grandsons Andrew and Jon Ehrenberg. She made annual trips to Kona to visit her daughter and grandsons. Rosalind had been looking forward to the first post-pandemic trip to Kona, which was planned for just a few weeks after her passing.

Rosalind also cared for her grandchildren Jes and Karissa Tom, through their school years, taking them to swimming lessons and other activities, feeding them dinner and supervising homework. For many decades, Rosalind’s home has been the gathering place for family celebrations, big and small.

Rosalind enjoyed many varied interests during her life. She was an avid reader, and when her daughters were in school she often read the assigned books from their English classes. She enjoyed Agatha Christie mysteries, books featuring cats and dogs as main characters, in addition to more serious literature.

Rosalind expressed her interest in Japanese culture and traditions in many ways. She maintained a lush garden that included a flowering cherry tree, crab apple tree, and Japanese maples. She took ikebana classes for many years, and devoted much time to watching Japanese travel and cultural documentaries on NHK.

She also continued her mother’s tradition of celebrating the new year with traditional Japanese dishes with a slight American twist to include potato salad, spare ribs, and honey-glazed ham, shared with family and friends over the years.

Rosalind was an avid sports fan. As a “49er Faithful,” she hosted 49ers watch parties for family and friends for many seasons, and she continued to cheer for them throughout the pandemic period. She was also very invested in the Golden State Warriors, which brought back memories of her own experience playing high school basketball with her team, the Vandas.

Since 2020, Rosalind missed volunteering at Frank McCoppin and instead occupied her time working on jigsaw puzzles, baking cookies, and watching hundreds of home renovations on HGTV.

Rosalind was the matriarch of her extended family, and central to a vast network of friends and neighbors. She will be remembered for her formidably strong will as much as for her generosity and care for others. Her family will miss her dry humor and her love for a good dessert, and are grateful that Rosalind was able to live actively and independently to the very end.

Rosalind is survived by her youngest brother, Wallace Kido (Terry Glazier); nephew, Michael Kido (Noriko Sato); daughters, Elizabeth (Gene Tom) and Rosanne; grandchildren, Jes and Karissa Tom and Andrew and Jon Ehrenberg; and close cousin, Kimi Klein (Joel). She will be missed by many Uno, Harada, and Kido relatives.

A memorial celebration will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, at 12:30 p.m. at Rosalind’s home. The family intends to establish a fund for the Frank McCoppin Library in Rosalind’s memory. Contributions can be sent to Elizabeth Uno at 515 Ninth Ave., San Francisco, CA 94118.

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LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–President and Chief Executive Officer of Cathay General Bancorp and Cathay Bank, Chang M. Liu, has been appointed by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco to serve as a member on its Los Angeles Branch Board of Directors. Moreover, Mr. Liu has been elected as a California member director by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco to serve a four-year term between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2026.

The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco represents the Twelfth District of the Federal Reserve System—the central bank of the United States. The Twelfth District comprises nine western states—Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington—plus the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and Guam.

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a cooperatively owned wholesale bank helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunities, and improve lives.

“I am incredibly honored and excited to take on both of these new roles. I look forward to working with the San Francisco Fed and FHLBank San Francisco to help create new opportunities in the region and build strong communities,” said Mr. Liu

In addition to serving as a board member on the Board of Directors of Cathay Bank and its holding company Cathay General Bancorp, Mr. Liu’s directorship extends to serving on the board of directors of the Western Bankers Association, the Board of Advisors for the UCLA Anderson Forecast, the American Cancer Society’s CEOs Against Cancer group, and the Foothill Family Service.

About Cathay Bank

Cathay Bank, a subsidiary of Cathay General Bancorp (Nasdaq: CATY), opened its doors in 1962 in Los Angeles to serve the growing immigrant community. Today, we operate over 60 branches across the US, with a branch in Hong Kong, and representative offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Taipei. While much has changed over six decades, our pursuit and dedication has only grown stronger. Then, now, and always, we go above and beyond, so you can, too. Learn more at cathaybank.com. FDIC insurance coverage is limited to deposit accounts at Cathay Bank’s US domestic branch locations.

The post Chang M. Liu Appointed to the Los Angeles Department Board of Federal Reserve Financial institution of San Francisco and Elected as California Member Director of the Federal Residence Mortgage Financial institution of San Francisco appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

Suzanne Ford

Since the end of February 2022, Suzanne Ford has served as the Interim Executive Director of San Francisco Pride. Her leadership, along with that of President Carolyn Wysinger, has made the organization woman-strong during an important year when the 52-year-old organization is preparing for its first in-person Pride Parade and Celebration since 2019. Ford, who previously served on the boards of Trans Heartline and the Spahr Center, is more than up for the daunting tasks ahead.

An advocate for the transgender and gender nonconforming communities, Ford has plenty of nonprofit as well as small business savvy. The Owensboro, Kentucky, native owned a coffee house in Louisville before moving to the Bay Area about 14 years ago.

GGBA: Tell us about San Francisco Pride and its business structure.

Suzanne Ford: San Francisco Pride is an LGBTQ+ nonprofit organization. The mission of SF Pride’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual Transgender Committee is to educate the world, commemorate our heritage, celebrate our culture, and liberate our people. Before the pandemic, SF Pride welcomed over a million attendees to San Francisco for the parade and festival on the last weekend of June. While we’ve continued to celebrate Pride during the last two years, we cannot wait to take back Market Street and San Francisco’s Civic Center!

SF Pride crowd at Main Stage

GGBA: In a nutshell, how did SF Pride start, and what drew you to it?

Suzanne Ford: Crazy queer people came together 52 years ago to protest for our rights while showing our fabulous community to the world here in San Francisco. I grew up knowing that if I came here, I would find my people. I want SF Pride to be here for generations to come in order to provide a beacon of hope.

GGBA: Who are some of your role models, and especially those who helped to influence your work here for the LGBTQ community?

Suzanne Ford: Theresa Sparks, current Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission, is my role model. She used her experience in private business to work tirelessly for the trans community. I hope to do the same. Additionally, social activist Nikki Calma, also known as Tita Aida, has paved the way for trans people at SF Pride. I can always count on her support and she has been a tremendous help through my own work at SF Pride.

GGBA: Why did you decide to join the GGBA, and how long have you been a member?

Suzanne Ford: We are new members! I was excited to join so that SF Pride could become even more integrated into the LGBTQ+ business community of San Francisco. I look forward to connecting with the queer entrepreneurs of the city for important discussions.

GGBA: How has being a member of GGBA helped your work so far?


Suzanne Ford: Being a member of GGBA enabled us to connect with members regarding SF Pride’s return to an in-person celebration this year. We look forward to finding more allies in the group for our work, building and strengthening our partnership with GGBA members.

https://sfpride.org/

GGBA Calendar

Thursday, May 5
Boost Your Business Growth Through Brand Building
9am-10am
Virtual/Webinar

Fire. When you hear the word, what do you think of? Is it just a compelling logo or tagline? How does your brand impact your business bottom line? In this Partner Digital Series workshop hosted by Google and Canva during National Small Business Week, we’ll be exploring what makes a strong brand, why it’s important for your business, and how to create a style guide and brand kit to build better brand consistency and attract more customers. https://tinyurl.com/3nrpuztc

Thursday, May 5
Preparing to pop up
2pm – 3:30pm

Join the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center and the GGBA for a virtual workshop that will teach you how to identify the tools and resources you need to Pop-Up while helping you navigate the necessary permits you must obtain. https://tinyurl.com/3ackanjw

Friday, May 20th
GGBA Ambassador Club
5:30pm – 6:30pm
LocationTBD

The GGBA Ambassador Club helps celebrate and support LGBTQ+ and allied businesses in the Bay Area and is open to all GGBA members.
https://tinyurl.com/nhpeenp3

Friday, June 17
GGBA’s Annual Event: Power Connect 2022
9am-4pm
SOMArts
934 Brannan Street, SF

Everything is different in 2022, it seems, so we’ll be tackling big issues under the theme “The New World of Business,” with highly curated experiences centering on the interests and needs of our member businesses and corporate partners.
Some of the new elements we are introducing are:

• strategic networking with business-to-business and business-to-corporation matchmaking;
• food and drink options hosted by our local members;
• keynotes and workshops focused on supplier diversity, the challenges and opportunities of the future, and tools for success in the new world of business.

Tickets: $95 for Members ($70 Early Bird Ends on May 17!); $125 for Non-Members https://tinyurl.com/bddwzwj6

Published on May 5, 2022

The post GGBA Member Highlight: Suzanne Ford, Interim Government Director of SF Satisfaction – San Francisco Bay Occasions appeared first on DAILY SAN FRANCISCO BAY NEWS.

The former handyman of a prominent member of the Silicon Valley community was charged Monday for strangling his employer and burying the body in a shallow grave in remote Central Valley foothills, officials said.

Santa Clara County Sheriff Laurie Smith described the murder of former Cupertino school council member Gin Lu “Tommy” Shwe as “callous and cold-hearted” while announcing the arrest of the alleged murderer at a press conference.

Christopher Ellebracht, a 38-year-old Cupertino resident with a history of recent arrests in the South Bay, was charged Monday in the Santa Clara County Superior Court of murder, financial abuse of the elderly and counterfeiting.

“We are shocked and saddened that my father’s life story has come to such a tragic end,” said Shwe’s adult son Huei-Saint Shwe. “It is incomprehensible to us how something like this could happen to someone who was as kind and generous as our father.”

Gin Lu Shwe, a 70-year-old real estate agent and respected member of the Greater Bay Area Chinese community, has temporarily hired Ellebracht to work on its business for the past two years, Lt. Julian Quinonez, a detective with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office.

However, that working relationship ended sometime around January 17 when Shwe’s family reported him missing.

Detectives got leads on Ellebracht after learning that he recently deposited a check for $ 10,000 from Shwe into his bank account through an ATM in Morgan Hill.

Then, on January 20, California Highway Patrol officials found an Ellebracht registered van parked on the side of a country lane in the mountains outside of Three Rivers, Tulare County. In the car, the investigators found “evidence that indicated a possible foul play,” said Quinonez.

There was no trace of Ellebracht, but two days later police picked him up in nearby Visalia after they said he pulled a knife from someone near a fast food place. Ellebracht, the police said, had Shwe’s wallet with him when he was arrested.

On Wednesday, search teams and dogs swarmed the remote area where Ellebracht’s van was found and eventually discovered Shwe’s strangled body buried in a shallow grave.

Investigators were working to pinpoint a motive and determine where Shwe was killed, but Smith said Monday they don’t think he was killed in Cupertino.

“Any loss of life is tragic, but the strangulation and soulless burial – in an effort to hide and circumvent the pursuit of justice – are particularly troubling,” she said.

Officials said the suspect was caught on surveillance video buying a shovel at a Home Depot the morning Shwe was reported missing.

“We believe Mr. Ellebracht traveled to Visalia to complete what he started in Santa Clara County,” said Quinonez.

Shwe was the first Chinese American to be elected to the Cupertino School Board from 1985 to 1993.

Meanwhile, those in the Cupertino community who worked with him were still suffering from the shocking loss of their friend and colleague.

“This is a very sad time,” said Cupertino Mayor Savita Vaidhyanathan. “We lost a loved one and community leader who worked to improve the lives of our residents.”

Evan Sernoffsky is a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky

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