Eleanor “Ning” Lum McGill, 94, of Lihue passed away on September 17, 2021, at home. She was born in Oakland, California on June 14, 1927.
She attended Oakland High School and graduated from the University of California in 1948 with a degree in social work. She married Sam K. Lum in 1953 and moved to Honolulu, Hawaii and raised her family while working as a social worker for the State of Hawaii at Lanakila Health Center. In 1976 she married John W. McGill and after she retired, they moved to Kauai when his work took him there in 1987.
Always devoted to her family and friends, she went to great lengths to be knowledgeable on their lives whether it was work or play. Eleanor supported the arts by patronizing the then budding Honolulu Symphony, Hawaii Opera Theatre and Honolulu Art Academy. She was also selfless in her support of numerous charities and causes that broadly ranged from research in cerebral palsy and Alzheimer’s disease to the Democratic Party to the Nature Conservancy and everything in between. Perhaps most importantly she was devoted to her church and fellow Christians and in the words of one of her neighbors was “our prayer warrior.”
Eleanor is preceded in death by her husband, John W. McGill, her parents, Bock Hing and Ying Wong Chan and siblings May Taam, Ada Wong, Janet Lee, Alvin Chan, Bertha Tong and Norman Chan, and daughter Celia Lum. Eleanor is survived by her sister Madelene Wong, her sons Kevin Lum (Michael Patton) and Tod Lum (Jeanine) and daughter Maile Lum Goldberg (David), stepsons David McGill (Niva) and Kristoffer McGill (Lucia) and six grandchildren.
The family hopes you will honor their mother’s memory by gathering with your family and friends to share a good meal, laughter and maybe a lively game of mahjong while remembering Auntie Ning’s long and full life.
A private memorial service was held in Lihue. If you are so inclined, please consider a donation to Kauai Hospice or another charity of your choice.
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