Sieu Mei Lieu was born in Shanghai, China, on September 4, 1926, to a privileged place in society. She married Joseph Zung Tu, who was also from a prominent family that owned one of the largest textile companies in China. They had five children: Elaine, Norman, Ann, Harold, and David. The communist revolution in 1949 forced the family to flee with nothing to Taiwan. They eventually immigrated to the United States in 1956.
Confronted by what seemed insurmountable challenges, she demonstrated the indomitable spirit of hard work, sacrifice, and persistence that humbles her children to this day. After arriving in the U.S., she began cleaning homes to provide for her family. She bartered her labor in exchange for English tutoring for her children. She learned to be a keypunch operator to work for Union Pacific Railroad. She taught them that failure was not acceptable. She was always proud and never allowed her menial labor to define who she was as a person. She taught all of her children that pride in your family and oneself is essential no matter one's position in society.
She believed that education was the gateway for her children and the family to be elevated back to a prominent position in the community. She was unwavering in her expectations, excuses for failure were not accepted, and praise was not to be expected. As she chronicled the many achievements of all her children, she never took credit for their accomplishments nor bemoaned the personal sacrifices she endured. She loved her children, 11 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren without boundaries except to say, "study hard and drive safely." The many successes and accomplishments of all her children reflect her unyielding expectations. She embodies the steadfast belief that education, hard work, sacrifice, and persistence are the hallmarks of success.
Her children Elaine, Norman, Ann, Harold, and David have established the Sieu Mei Tu endowment in 2019 to support the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s collaborations with China. Every year, approximately two to three UNMC students from China have been awarded scholarships to support their studies here in Nebraska.