Charles Conloy Ching's Obituary
Charles C. Ching became an ancestor on August 24, 2023, capping off a great life at the ripe age of 94. Having been born to Esther Leong and Charles S.Y. Ching in Honolulu, Roy — as his brothers and sisters and parents called him — was one of seven siblings and grew up on 21st Ave. with Marian, Bernice, Barbara, Patricia, Doris and Cordell.
He went to St. Louis High School, then Catholic University before attending Columbia University to get a Masters in Microbiology followed by an MD at Creighton University in Nebraska. He served in the Navy after medical school. He ardently dreamed of becoming a doctor and pursued it relentlessly even though he knew it would be a long road. After many years of school, residency, and specialty training, he began practicing in Los Angeles as a cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon. He was a humble man, and when asked, would always just say that he was a doctor. When people asked what his specialty was, he’d explain that he was like a Rotor-Rooter man, except for veins.
Charlie married Grace Wong in 1972 after a lengthy, long-distance courtship. They made their lives in Los Angeles, California with a short stint in Honolulu. They had three children — Carla (a writer), Cathie (an MD) and Matthew (a psychologist).
At different moments in life, Charlie picked up the acoustic guitar, fly fishing and karate. He enjoyed reading and listening to music, especially local Hawaiian music and jazz. He was an avid skier, having learned in Japan when he was stationed there in the Navy. He would drive the family five hours each way to ski in Mammoth Mountain, California multiple times a year. One of his happy places was skiing the fall line down the mountain. He and Grace also greatly enjoyed dancing together.
He loved strong black coffee, See’s candy, his mother's boiled peanuts, red meat, great seafood, sharp looking clothes, taking pictures with his Canon cameras, rooting on the LA Lakers and college basketball teams, and watching movies featuring Charles Bronson, Clint Eastwood and Bruce Lee. He was known for his kindness, humanity, intelligence, talent, generosity, thoughtfulness and even-keeled nature.
He retired from private practice when he was 72, but continued to practice medicine by working briefly as a cruise ship doctor. He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and served on the board of directors of Pacific Alliance Medical Center in Los Angeles' Chinatown.
He is survived by his wife Grace, daughter Carla and and son-in-law Christopher, daughter Cathie and and son-in-law Hemant and their children Kyran, Maddox and Kaia, and son Matthew as well as siblings Cordell, Patricia and Doris.
To share a memory or photo of Charlie or to send a message to his family, please visit https://www.diamondheadmortuary.net/obituaries/Charles-Ching/#!/TributeWall. A celebration of life will take place at a future date. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund honoring Charlie has been established at Creighton University. Please send contributions to Creighton University Office of Development, PO Box 30282, Omaha, NE, 68103. Please note that it's for The Charles C. Ching, MD, Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund.
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