Chu C. Chua

Dr. Chu Chang Chua, age 64, of 3409 Bondwood Circle, Johnson City, Tennessee, died Saturday, January 22, 2011, at Indian Path Medical Center in Kingsport, TN. She died of complications of ovarian cancer. The daughter of a Taiwanese general and nurse, Dr. Chua was born in Hangzhou, China and spent the majority of her childhood in Taiwan. She attended National Taiwan University, where she excelled at academics and track-and-field. After receiving her degree in pharmacy, she moved to the United States and received a masters degree in molecular biology at the University of California, Santa Cruz and a Ph.D. in molecular biology at the University of Wisconsin. It was during her graduate studies that she met Balvin Chua, whom she married in 1975 at the age of 28. Balvin and Dr. Chua moved to Hershey, PA to pursue postdoctoral work at Penn State Medical Center, after which she was promoted to assistant professor at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. In Detroit, she published extensively in bone health, cardiovascular physiology, and stroke. In 1994, Dr. Chua joined the Department of Geriatrics at the Quillen College of Medicine at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, TN. Along with her husband, Dr. Chua helped research the mechanisms of damage after heart attacks and helped identify therapeutic compounds that could mitigate this damage. Outside of work, Dr. Chua has been an active supporter of several Chinese churches, most recently the Chinese Church of the Greater Tri-Cities (located at Central Baptist Church in Johnson City, TN). At church, her warm heart and self-sacrificing nature made her a beloved member and pillar of the congregation. She was particularly known for her outreach to Chinese graduate students, her ability to counsel those in need, and her love of children. Her philosophy of putting others first persisted even while she was suffering with her disease, as she became an active member of ovarian cancer support groups and online forums. Dr. Chua is survived by her husband Balvin Chua and her sons Kao-Yee, Kao-Ping and Kao-Wei; one brother, James D. Chang; and two sisters, Jean C. Lee and Anna W. Tsao. The family wishes to express special thanks to the hospital staff of Indian Path Medical Center, Dr. Marta Crispens of Vanderbilt University, and Dr. Paul Kramer and the staff of Hope Clinic in Kingsport, TN. A service will be held at Morris-Baker Funeral Home in Johnson City, Tennessee, on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at 7 PM. Pastor Gerald Chin will officiate. The family will receive friends from 6 to 7 PM prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Chinese Church of the Greater Tri-Cities, 300 North Roan Street, Johnson City, TN, 37601 (423-434-0233).