
Esther Hang McKinley
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Esther H. McKinley
1935 - 2019
Esther Ai-Hua Hang McKinley, a former long-time resident of East Lansing, MI, was born in Singapore to Rev. Paul Hang, Sr. and Rachel So Ging Ng on November 4, 1935. Esther spent her childhood days growing up in a shophouse with her many loving siblings, upstairs from the Hinghwa Methodist Church where her father served as pastor. In Singapore, Esther attended the Methodist Girls School and the Teachers Training College. She came to America on a church scholarship to attend Scarritt College in Nashville, TN, went on to complete her master's degree at the University of Buffalo, and then followed her lifelong calling as an elementary school teacher, working in the Okemos public schools for many years until retirement.
During graduate studies in Buffalo, Esther met and married Bob McKinley and they later settled permanently in East Lansing, where he joined the faculty at MSU. It was here that they raised their two children, Susan and Steve, and became active members of Edgewood United Church of Christ. Esther became well-known at church and in the Okemos and East Lansing schools for the Chinese cultural education programs she delighted in conducting. A highlight of these programs invariably centered on preparing traditional Chinese dishes in mass quantities with the help of students & parents, many of whom still credit their chopstick skills to Esther's ingenious method of teaching kids how to pick up Cheerios with chopsticks. It brought Esther immense joy and pride to see so many classes come through the various Okemos elementary schools in which she taught. In the same spirit of cross-cultural exchange that enriched Esther's own college experience, she and Bob advised the Singapore Students Association at MSU for several years, together providing a welcoming atmosphere for international students who came to MSU and found in Esther a caring "surrogate aunt" - someone who understood firsthand the adjustment to life far away from their homes and families in Singapore.
In addition to being a loving mother and wife, of utmost importance throughout Esther's life was her devotion to, and close bond with, her parents, brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and extended family around the globe -- no physical distance could ever diminish Esther's vital presence in their lives and their presence in hers. Later in life, Esther moved to Austin, TX to be with her son, his wife, and other relatives, living out her golden years by making many additional happy memories.
Esther's lasting gifts include a deep love of family, compassion for those less fortunate, a strong faith, genuine kindness and consideration, and an ability to find delight and wonder in the smallest things - teaching us all a profound lesson in appreciation. Esther is survived by her daughter Susan Jed (Tim Jed); her son Steven McKinley (Pooja Varshney); their father Bob McKinley; and a large group of extended family and friends.
A funeral service honoring Esther took place on Sunday, August 4, 2019, at Westlake United Methodist Church in Austin, Texas. Memories and condolences may be shared at www.dignitymemorial.com.