You may be surprised to learn, you’re living in the second of my do it yourself houses. Our first was a 1200 sf 3br house my brother designed and we built for my mother, right after I graduated from UC Berkeley at 21. It amazing we attempted it, as nothing in our urban Chinatown background would indicate interest or competency in carpentry or construction.

By the early 60’s, our family was bursting the seams of our little home near Montgomery Wards, so that at 31, wife Darlene and I, as first generation children of immigrants, had the laudable, perhaps at the time, laughable, aspiration for a better neighborhood, outstanding schools for our children and a much bigger house Fortunately we were able to find and bought the 6584 lot for $4,000, all of Darlene’s savings. We were amongst the first Asians in the previously segregated Montclair, which welcomed us. Sorry to say, I could not afford to hire an architect.

6584 is designed to be economical. It is a no-frills, basic box 30×40 feet in dimension. For maximum space, its 2×10 floor joists are stretched to maximum span. Using my mother’s house as collateral, Barclay’s Bank loaned $30,000 for our construction. We thought this would provide unfinished lower floors, a liveable first floor, with the remainder to be completed later after we moved in. Surprisingly the paltry funds provided a completed home, with entry and decks, an automatically irrigated garden, lacking only the carpeting we couldn’t afford. We shopped carefully. The luxuriously beautiful interior redwood paneling were boards from excess mill runs, We even built our own kitchen cabinets, the shingle siding was well suited to unskilled labor.

For 18 months we paid our crew of 4 unskilled men, mostly UC Berkeley “Odd Job workers” who labored evenings, Saturday, Sunday and every holiday with me. After all these years, these boys who became engineers and businssmen, value their experience and still stay in touch.

Our children Larry, Steven, Linda and Alan received fine educations in Montclair schools attending Monclair Elementary, Montera Junior High, Skyline High and graduated from UC Berkeley and UCLA. Soon after our 50th Anniversary, Darlene passed away in 2008. Linda and I moved to Honolulu shortly after to join Steve who had moved there some years earlier to marry his wife Karen Asato.

I bought an 80 year old single wall construction “Plantation Style” house in the Kaimuki neighborhood of Honolulu. It’s 3 br’s, living, dining room required only painting, we have completed renovations to an outside bath and laundry.The 14 x14 kitchen has been renovated with new cabinets, appliances, and a center island design. My helper Reggi and I are installing a tile floor in the kitchen. Next on our schedule are French doors opening to a new lanai deck.

I hope you enjoy our past house and make it a very happy home for yourselves.

Best regards,

John Sue

Hope you enjoy the video.

Lee McCourry

1) Under the caption “Lum Suk Fong aka Suky Jang” Adrienne’s name is mispelled as “Adriene.”
Suky lives in Pleasanton not Castro Valley.

The photo labelled as “Lum Suk Wun, Siu Kam Chu and Henry P. Lum in China” and shown in Bill Moyers’ documentary is a photo of “Lum Suk Fong, Siu Kam Chu and Henry P. Lum” and was probably taken in San Francisco.

I recall many late night discussions about all kinds of things with Steve. In addition to my parents, Steve’s philosophy certainly helped shape my life and for that I have always cherished those times. One of those philosophies is evidenced through this website. Steve always told me how much he enjoyed talking with the older generations, as they had experienced life and held wisdom that we could and should learn from. Being one of the youngest cousins, it was easy, as even my own generation was older than myself.

Two things my parents always told me was to 1. Always give your best effort, no matter what. and 2. choose a profession that where you enjoy getting up every morning for. I can’t honestly say I always give 100%, but I try to, but I can say I love what I do and have no trouble getting up every morning and going to work.

Thanks to my mom and dad for everything you have taught me, and also Steve for those late night philosophy lessons.

Aloha
Keith