Cynthia Waiying Wu Wilcox

1929 - 2024

Cynthia Waiying Wu Wilcox
08/07/1929 - 07/07/2024
Cynthia Waiying Wu Wilcox, 94, of Woodside and Guinda, California, passed away on Sunday, July 7, 2024, of natural causes.
Cynthia was born on August 7, 1929 to Wu Chung and Kong Sum in Hong Kong. As a child, she received a classical Chinese education which was focused on ancient Chinese literature. She continued her education in several different high schools in China during World War II. In 1948, she came to the United States and attended Stockton Junior College, where she learned English. She then went on to study Pharmacology at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry in 1953.
During her working career, she worked as a pharmacist in Cleveland, Ohio, New York City, Boston, Hong Kong, and several San Francisco Bay Area cities. Over the years, Cynthia added several other careers to her resumé, including real estate agent, travel agent, and author. In her later years, she also served with Peninsula Volunteers, a nonprofit that supports the elderly in San Mateo County.
In the early 1960s, Cynthia became a citizen of the United States.
In 1965, Cynthia met Jonathan in Berkeley, California, and they married in November 1966. Cynthia then returned to school to earn a Masters in East Asian Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. Cynthia and Jonathan went on to have one child, Jon Anthony.
Cynthia is survived by her husband, Jonathan; her son and daughter-in-law, Jon and Tania Wilcox; her two grandchildren, Maya and Alejandro Wilcox; her brother, Sir Gordon Wu; and her sister, Mrs. Sophie Lee.
Services will be held at Skylawn Memorial Park on Friday, July 12, at 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Cynthia's name to Peninsula Volunteers.