By Sharon Mangus
Guest columnist
For The Republic
Recently, I lost two good friends from Columbus: Charles Oliver and Kwok-Sang Chui. They both influenced my life for the better, perhaps more than either of them knew. Oliver, who passed in August, and Chui, who passed in September, were very different, yet their lives had many similarities.
Oliver was born in New Albany, Indiana, and Chui in Hong Kong, thousands of miles away. But both overcame challenges in their early years that they refused to let define their lives.
Oliver’s early life was tough; his parents split up when he was little, and he didn’t see his father for years. After they both remarried, they lived at opposite ends of Indiana and started new families. Oliver, an only child, stayed on with his mom, but always felt like the odd kid out. As a young teen, Oliver’s home life became so unbearable that he ran away. He was taken in by an older couple who offered him lodging in exchange for his help with farm chores. He had a roof over his head and food to eat, but it wasn’t an ideal situation for an adolescent. No one would have blamed him if he turned into an angry young man.
Chui’s early years in Hong Kong were comfortable until WWII reared its ugly head. When Japan invaded China, life for Chui’s family turned chaotic. They were forced to abandon their home, escaping to the Chinese mainland with only the clothes on their backs. Chui’s father, a university professor, got separated from his wife and sons, and died under mysterious circumstances. When Mrs. Chui returned to Hong Kong at the end of the war, she worked in a sweat shop, sleeping on the shop floor at night. Eventually she found shelter for her family at the Faith Love orphanage, where she was hired as a seamstress. The dire circumstances Chui experienced in WWII could have marred him forever.
Oliver joined the Army after high school and was stationed in Ansbach, Germany. While there, he met the love of his life on a blind date – a German fräulein named Walburga Herrmann – and the rest is history.
They started their family and settled in Columbus. Oliver, a trained optician, founded Columbus Optical in 1964, which celebrates 60years in business next month. Oliver faced challenges getting his business off the ground, but nothing deterred him. He worked hard, never complained and always had kind words and a smile on his face for everyone he met.
For Chui, 1964 was an important year, too. His mother watched as he boarded a ship for America. His destination was Ohio, where his orphanage sponsor promised to help him get a college education. Eventually, he met an American nurse named Linda Hawbaker on a blind date. The rest is history.
Chui earned a PhD at Purdue, and he and Linda started their family. When Chui accepted a job with Cummins, they relocated to Columbus. Chui, a consummate gentleman, rarely spoke of the trials of his early life. He worked hard, never complained, and always showed kindness and compassion to others.
These days, if I start feeling sorry for myself, my thoughts often turn to Oliver and Chui. I ponder the challenges Oliver went through as a kid – longing for the love and security of family – while living as a hired hand on a farm. Or Chui, whose life in China was tragically disrupted by war, going from a life of comfort to one of abject poverty overnight.
Both men faced circumstances that could have soured them on life, but instead, they became vessels of empathy and forgiveness, putting their pasts behind them and sowing seeds of kindness in the world. Farewell, friends. Thank you for inspiring me to be a better human being.
Sharon Mangas is a Columbus resident and can be reached at [email protected]. Send comments to [email protected].
Veteran Charles Oliver, a good friend of Sharon Mangas, became one of the first board certified opticians in the state and founded Columbus Optical. Photos provided.
Kwok-Sang Chui, another good friend of Sharon Mangas, immigrated from Hong Kong following WWII before living a long adventurous life as a teacher and engineer. Photos provided.
