May Mei Yun Huang Li

May Mei Yun Huang Li passed away on Wednesday, in New York City where she lived for the past 20 years.    May was born in Changhua, Taiwan in 1947 to parents Sam-Mu Huang and Kao-Miao Huang. She graduated from the prestigious National Taiwan Normal University’s Department of Music in 1969, an exclusive and renowned music program.  Upon graduation, she taught music classes at The Sacred Heart Girls High School in Taipei before immigrating to the US in 1971 to further her studies at Montclair State University where she received a Master’s Degree in Music Education. She was the fifth of six children, including sisters Mei-Hwei Yang, Mickie Chen, and Mei-Yueh Wu, and twin brothers, Cheng-Sheng James Huang and Dr. Cheng-Li Charles Huang.  May was married and widowed to Edward Yih-Show Li who passed away in Syracuse in 1996.

May was a musician, musical performer, and teacher for over 40 years, working in the public schools in Central New York, New Jersey, and New York City, as well as working with students with special needs.  Always an avid student, she later enrolled and advanced her musical knowledge at The Julliard School for over 10 years. Over her years of teaching, she touched thousands of peoples’ lives by showing the joy and beauty of music and inspiring kindness with her passion for humanity.

Surviving are her sons, Sinclair (Kellee) and Dalton (Melissa); and grandchildren, Preston (12), Simon (seven), Kensington (11), Edison (eight), and Waverly (two months).

Funeral services will be held on Friday, August 19 at 11 a.m. at the Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. Genesee St., Camillus, NY.

May will be laid to rest in Greenlawn Cemetery, Warners.