Lawrence K.W. Tseu went from shoe shining to international philanthropist
1 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Dr. Lawrence K.W. Tseu holds a framed 1936 photo of the Kaneohe home he once lived in.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Philanthropist Dr. Lawrence K.W. Tseu poses in Kahala on Feb. 27.
2 /2 GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Philanthropist Dr. Lawrence K.W. Tseu poses in Kahala on Feb. 27.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Dr. Lawrence K.W. Tseu holds a framed 1936 photo of the Kaneohe home he once lived in.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE @STARADVERTISER.COM Philanthropist Dr. Lawrence K.W. Tseu poses in Kahala on Feb. 27.
Growing up dirt poor in Kalihi, Lawrence K.W. Tseu saw education as his way out. As a fifth grader, he started paying for his Saint Louis College (now Saint Louis School ) tuition by selling newspapers and shining shoes on the streets of downtown Honolulu, diving for the coins thrown into Honolulu Harbor by cruise ship passengers on Boat Days and pointing military personnel in the direction of female companionship during World War II.
After the war, he boosted his income by joining the Hawaii National Guard. After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and qualified for pilot's wings. Back in civilian life, he earned degrees from Brigham Young University in Utah and Northwestern University Dental School in Illinois.
'I wanted to be a dentist since I was nine, ' Tseu, now 93, said recently. 'I used to go to the Palama Settlement to have my dental work done—they only charged poor kids a dime—and most of the dentists were really rough, they didn't care. This one time, the Japanese dentist was really gentle, and I said, 'I want to be like him someday, be a gentle dentist.''
During his almost 50 years of practice, Tseu sometimes accepted payment in goods and services rather than cash. As soon as his finances permitted, he began giving back financially to the community as well.
One of his most visible gifts is the Tseu Medical Institute at Harris Manchester College, Oxford. His wife, BoHing Chan Tseu, earned her master's degree at University of Oxford in England. Two others big gifts—the Dr. Lawrence K.W. and BoHing Chan Tseu Center for Nursing Education at Chaminade University of Honolulu and the Dr. &Mrs. Lawrence K.W. (BoHing Chan ) Tseu Endowed Scholarship in Nursing at the University of Hawaii Manoa School of Nursing and Dental Hygiene—honor her memory.
Throughout the decades, Tseu has been a consistently generous supporter of numerous cultural and community groups in the islands.
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'Everything that pertains to helping people I try to get involved in, ' Tseu said. 'For 60 years, I've been involved with the community, helping the different charitable organizations, donating money, serving on boards and donating whatever little talent I had to help. The main thing to do is help. I try to accommodate everybody that wants me (at their fundraiser events ), and I enjoy going to those events because of the interesting people I meet.'
Recent entries on Tseu's calendar include the 75th Narcissus Festival Coronation Ball in February, the Hong Kong Business Association of Hawaii's 2025 Spring Festival &29th Annual Celebration Gala in March and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii Couture &Flowers Fashion Show in April.
He also serves on the board of regents of University of Oxford, is a trustee emeritus of Saint Louis School and sits on the board of directors at Palolo Chinese Home, an adult care home for the elderly.
When Tseu isn't guesting at fundraising galas or attending board meetings, he enjoys walking and reading. When asked, he'll reveal that he is an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
'Now that I've retired (from dentistry ), I serve three days—Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday—at the temple in Laie and, of course, Sunday, I go to church. At home, I read a lot of church books, the Scripture, and a lot of (other )
gospel books.'
Tseu does not evangelize. 'We have our own concept of religion and our own beliefs, but I don't want to impose myself on other people's belief, ' he said.
He enjoys the balance between his church service and Honolulu's glamorous social scene, where he socializes and does his philanthropic work.
'All the earthly wealth and all our success is the blessing from our Heavenly Father, and all the earthly wealth that we accumulate, we should share it because it's a blessing from God, ' Tseu said. 'It's not for us to enjoy, to go on cruises and buy expensive cars, but to share our blessings and our material things with the needy and the poor, the fatherless and the widow.
'Sometimes you get more out of giving than receiving. That gives me more satisfaction than spending money on myself.'
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