Daniel "Oom Daan" Kwa M.D.

Daniel Kwa, M.D., known lovingly as "Oom Daan," passed away on Monday, January 5, 2026, leaving behind a legacy of brilliance, generosity, humor, and deep devotion to family.

Born on February 28, 1942, he was the youngest of four sons, growing up in Indonesia during its time as a Dutch colony. Born to Dutch-educated Chinese-Indonesian parents, Daniel attended a Dutch school, an opportunity that shaped his early academic excellence.

He graduated from the University of Airlangga Faculty of Medicine in 1967, beginning a lifelong journey in medicine that would take him across continents. In 1970, Daniel immigrated to the United States with his brother Francis and Francis's family, sharing an apartment in East Orange, New Jersey, as they built their new lives in what they lovingly called the land of opportunity.

Daniel completed his postgraduate training with extraordinary distinction, including: internship at Rutgers Health (1970–1971); residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center (1971–1973); residency in Pathology at Henry Ford Hospital (1973–1975); and fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology at Henry Ford Hospital (1975–1976). He went on to become the first minority physician to work at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, breaking barriers with quiet confidence and excellence.

Daniel's intellect was legendary within the family. His brother often said that Daan was the smartest among them. This brilliance was recognized nationally when Daniel received a gold medal for Pathology Research in Cancer, a rare honor awarded only once per year across the entire United States.

In 1979, Daniel married Su Yung, and together they built a life filled with love, laughter, and deep companionship. They lived in Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, and Voorhees, New Jersey, before eventually settling in Delaware.

A proud Catholic, Daniel was a devoted 4th-degree Knight of Columbus, living out his faith through service, humility, and kindness.

Beyond medicine, Daniel had many passions. As a young man in Indonesia, he loved birding and famously raised parakeets and canaries from eggs to adulthood. His family fondly remembers the hundreds of birds housed in large cages lining three walls of his childhood home's backyard in Surabaya. In addition to birding, he also loved keeping fish. Behind the house were many stone fish tanks, where countless fish thrived and multiplied under his attention. He also found great joy in gardening-and even enjoyed eating mangos from trees he nurtured himself, sometimes with rice, a simple pleasure that reflected his free spirit.

Those who knew him remember his infectious laugh, sharp wit, and incredible generosity. He was kind, endlessly curious, and "super smart." It was all part of the charm of a man who lived fully and authentically.

Daniel Kwa, M.D., will be remembered not only for his extraordinary achievements, but for the warmth of his spirit, the depth of his love, and the joy he brought to everyone around him.

He will be deeply missed and forever cherished. He is survived by his wife, Su Yung Kwa and his eldest brother, Francis Kwa.

A visitation for family and friends will be held from 9:30 am until 10:30 am on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at St. Joseph Parish, 319 East Main Street, Middletown, DE, where a Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 am. Interment will be held in Assumption Cathedral Cemetery, 6933 Tomken Road, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada at a later date.