Long time Glendale College EOPS counselor Dinh Luu died Sept. 17 at the age of 63 due to a brain aneurysm.
An immigrant from Vietnam, Luu arrived in the United States in 1975. She pursued a master’s degree in social work at UCLA, graduating in 1982. In that same year she began working at GCC as an EOPS counselor, and also taught student development.
“She started quite a bit before I did . she was a very loving person who took a real interest in people as people,” said EOPS counselor Greg Perkins.
Throughout her 28-year tenure at Glendale, Luu was known as someone who was always willing to give advice, to both her students and colleagues alike.
“Every time a student [needed] to have some sort of support in terms of a petition or an appeal, even if she didn’t have time, she would make time to help that student out,” said counselor John Aque.
“She was never too busy to give advice to anything, whether it was financial, planting, or raising children,” said EOPS counselor Shakeh Atatian. “I knew she had four children, so when I started having my children she was always there to give me advice.”
Luu was also described as a generous person.
“I was involved in a charity and every year as a way of giving a Christmas gift to the people in the office, she would donate a couple of hundred dollars to this social service agency that she knew of through me,” said Perkins. “And she would tell everybody that she made this donation in our honor.”
In addition to working full-time at Glendale, she also volunteered at various counseling conferences, including the Asian-Pacific Americans in Higher Education conference.
Following her retirement in 2008 Luu remained active at the college’s EOPS as an hourly counselor.
She is remembered as a person with a big heart who got along well with everyone she worked with.
“Dinh added so much to the Student Services Division and to all of GCC,” said academic counselor Sandy Lee. “We will miss Dinh dearly, as a friend and colleague.”
The EOPS will be creating a scholarship fund in memory of Luu. Anyone who would like to contribute is welcome to do so.
Memorial services for Luu included a viewing on Wednesday and Thursday, and a burial on Friday. Both services were held at the Rose Hills Mortuary in Whittier.
Luu is survived by her husband, Thuong Do; daughter, Jean Do; and three sons, George Do, Richard Do and Edward Do.
Staff writer Derek Stowe contributed to this story.
