Former Cupertino Mayor Hung Wei has passed away at age 69, the San José Spotlight reports. Wei died on August 28 after a battle with stage four lung cancer.
Wei immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan in 1979 and attended UCLA where she received a Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language. From 2007 to 2018, she served as a school board trustee for the Fremont Union High School District.
Wei won numerous awards, including California “Woman of the Year” for State Assembly District 28 (2015), “Citizen of the Year” from the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce (2016), and the U.S. President’s “Gold” Volunteer Service Award (2020). She also served on numerous non-profit boards, including Northwest YMCA, the Fremont Union High Schools Foundation, Asian American Parent Association, EMQ Auxiliary, Uplift Family Services, Quota Cupertino, and the League of Women Voters. For a period, Wei was district governor for Cupertino’s Rotary Club.
Wei served on the Cupertino City Council from 2020 to 2024, and was mayor in 2023. Residents and colleagues remember her as a fierce advocate for affordable housing. She was also a champion for mental health, having lost a child to suicide. According to the San José Spotlight, Wei volunteered at The Butter Paddle homegoods store, which donates proceeds to behavioral health services provider Pacific Clinics.
Wei is survived by her husband and two sons.