SONG KUE
Early Hmong leader dies.
Song Kue was one of first to help immigrants settle in Sheboygan.
By Kurt Rentmeester of the Press Staff
He was a right-hand man in the Americanization of the first wave of Hmong immigrants in the 1970s when they arrived in Sheboygan.
The only one of the initial seven Hmong to speak English on their arrival in April, 1976 through the U.S. Immigration Service, Song Kue took on the sometimes daunting task of leading his people in a community of German descent, said Don Leonard, a former local pastor who oversaw local sponsorship of the Hmong by families here.
After a year-long battle with leukemia, Kue died earlier this week at the age of 44 in Minnesota, said Song Yang, executive director of the Hong Mutual Assistance Association of Sheboygan. Funeral services are being held over the course of several days at the Pfeffer Funeral Home in Manitowoc.
“He was the point man. He was the interpreter—the number one guy for all Hong families in Sheboygan. They needed someone like Song (Kue) to communicate for them,” said Tom Witt, a former resident who has worked with Hmong families here.
The number of Hmong swelled from that first seven to about 55 family members by July, 1976, he said.
The rapid growth intensified the need for an interpreter. As a go-between for local residents and Hmong newcomers who didn’t have a spoken or written language of their own, Kue helped develop the Hmong community in Sheboygan. It’s now more than 3,000 people strong.
Shortly after his arrival, Kue also pleaded with the public to help the Hmong families facing Communist oppression at camps in Thailand, Witt said. Local families were needed to mentor the Hmong and help them start a new life here.
Song Kue said, “We need our families together here or they will die in Thailand refugee camps,” Witt said.
Kue also placed a key role in the religious conversion of the Hmong said Witt who got to know Kue in 1979.
Having been converted to Christianity by the Alliance of Christian Missionaries in his native Laos, Kue helped lead the religious conversion of the Hmong, Witt said.
Kue helped with Bible every Sunday night at Trinity Lutheran Church. In February 1977, he and Leonard, who was pastor at Grace Haven Church at the time, brought several families together for a mass baptism.
Eventually, Kue became the first Hmong to complete his education at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and later got a degree in engineering. He had been employed by a Texas firm for four years, moving to Aurora, Ill., in 1986.
“Song Kue was a role model for the Hmong,” Witt said.
But Yang recalled that Kue retained close ties with family and friends in Sheboygan.
Kue also touched the lives of several people, including Leonard, who now is a missionary stationed in the Philippines for Vernacular Video Mission International.
“He was one of the reasons, one of the tremendous influences on me, that I resigned to be a missionary,” Leonard said. “This was the trigger that shot me out of the barrel.”
Sheboygan Press, December 24, 2000 P. 1
Early Hmong leader dies.
Song Kue was one of first to help immigrants settle in Sheboygan.
By Kurt Rentmeester of the Press Staff
He was a right-hand man in the Americanization of the first wave of Hmong immigrants in the 1970s when they arrived in Sheboygan.
The only one of the initial seven Hmong to speak English on their arrival in April, 1976 through the U.S. Immigration Service, Song Kue took on the sometimes daunting task of leading his people in a community of German descent, said Don Leonard, a former local pastor who oversaw local sponsorship of the Hmong by families here.
After a year-long battle with leukemia, Kue died earlier this week at the age of 44 in Minnesota, said Song Yang, executive director of the Hong Mutual Assistance Association of Sheboygan. Funeral services are being held over the course of several days at the Pfeffer Funeral Home in Manitowoc.
“He was the point man. He was the interpreter—the number one guy for all Hong families in Sheboygan. They needed someone like Song (Kue) to communicate for them,” said Tom Witt, a former resident who has worked with Hmong families here.
The number of Hmong swelled from that first seven to about 55 family members by July, 1976, he said.
The rapid growth intensified the need for an interpreter. As a go-between for local residents and Hmong newcomers who didn’t have a spoken or written language of their own, Kue helped develop the Hmong community in Sheboygan. It’s now more than 3,000 people strong.
Shortly after his arrival, Kue also pleaded with the public to help the Hmong families facing Communist oppression at camps in Thailand, Witt said. Local families were needed to mentor the Hmong and help them start a new life here.
Song Kue said, “We need our families together here or they will die in Thailand refugee camps,” Witt said.
Kue also placed a key role in the religious conversion of the Hmong said Witt who got to know Kue in 1979.
Having been converted to Christianity by the Alliance of Christian Missionaries in his native Laos, Kue helped lead the religious conversion of the Hmong, Witt said.
Kue helped with Bible every Sunday night at Trinity Lutheran Church. In February 1977, he and Leonard, who was pastor at Grace Haven Church at the time, brought several families together for a mass baptism.
Eventually, Kue became the first Hmong to complete his education at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and later got a degree in engineering. He had been employed by a Texas firm for four years, moving to Aurora, Ill., in 1986.
“Song Kue was a role model for the Hmong,” Witt said.
But Yang recalled that Kue retained close ties with family and friends in Sheboygan.
Kue also touched the lives of several people, including Leonard, who now is a missionary stationed in the Philippines for Vernacular Video Mission International.
“He was one of the reasons, one of the tremendous influences on me, that I resigned to be a missionary,” Leonard said. “This was the trigger that shot me out of the barrel.”
Sheboygan Press, December 24, 2000 P. 1
SONG KUE
Early Hmong leader dies.
Song Kue was one of first to help immigrants settle in Sheboygan.
By Kurt Rentmeester of the Press Staff
He was a right-hand man in the Americanization of the first wave of Hmong immigrants in the 1970s when they arrived in Sheboygan.
The only one of the initial seven Hmong to speak English on their arrival in April, 1976 through the U.S. Immigration Service, Song Kue took on the sometimes daunting task of leading his people in a community of German descent, said Don Leonard, a former local pastor who oversaw local sponsorship of the Hmong by families here.
After a year-long battle with leukemia, Kue died earlier this week at the age of 44 in Minnesota, said Song Yang, executive director of the Hong Mutual Assistance Association of Sheboygan. Funeral services are being held over the course of several days at the Pfeffer Funeral Home in Manitowoc.
“He was the point man. He was the interpreter—the number one guy for all Hong families in Sheboygan. They needed someone like Song (Kue) to communicate for them,” said Tom Witt, a former resident who has worked with Hmong families here.
The number of Hmong swelled from that first seven to about 55 family members by July, 1976, he said.
The rapid growth intensified the need for an interpreter. As a go-between for local residents and Hmong newcomers who didn’t have a spoken or written language of their own, Kue helped develop the Hmong community in Sheboygan. It’s now more than 3,000 people strong.
Shortly after his arrival, Kue also pleaded with the public to help the Hmong families facing Communist oppression at camps in Thailand, Witt said. Local families were needed to mentor the Hmong and help them start a new life here.
Song Kue said, “We need our families together here or they will die in Thailand refugee camps,” Witt said.
Kue also placed a key role in the religious conversion of the Hmong said Witt who got to know Kue in 1979.
Having been converted to Christianity by the Alliance of Christian Missionaries in his native Laos, Kue helped lead the religious conversion of the Hmong, Witt said.
Kue helped with Bible every Sunday night at Trinity Lutheran Church. In February 1977, he and Leonard, who was pastor at Grace Haven Church at the time, brought several families together for a mass baptism.
Eventually, Kue became the first Hmong to complete his education at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and later got a degree in engineering. He had been employed by a Texas firm for four years, moving to Aurora, Ill., in 1986.
“Song Kue was a role model for the Hmong,” Witt said.
But Yang recalled that Kue retained close ties with family and friends in Sheboygan.
Kue also touched the lives of several people, including Leonard, who now is a missionary stationed in the Philippines for Vernacular Video Mission International.
“He was one of the reasons, one of the tremendous influences on me, that I resigned to be a missionary,” Leonard said. “This was the trigger that shot me out of the barrel.”
Sheboygan Press, December 24, 2000 P. 1
Early Hmong leader dies.
Song Kue was one of first to help immigrants settle in Sheboygan.
By Kurt Rentmeester of the Press Staff
He was a right-hand man in the Americanization of the first wave of Hmong immigrants in the 1970s when they arrived in Sheboygan.
The only one of the initial seven Hmong to speak English on their arrival in April, 1976 through the U.S. Immigration Service, Song Kue took on the sometimes daunting task of leading his people in a community of German descent, said Don Leonard, a former local pastor who oversaw local sponsorship of the Hmong by families here.
After a year-long battle with leukemia, Kue died earlier this week at the age of 44 in Minnesota, said Song Yang, executive director of the Hong Mutual Assistance Association of Sheboygan. Funeral services are being held over the course of several days at the Pfeffer Funeral Home in Manitowoc.
“He was the point man. He was the interpreter—the number one guy for all Hong families in Sheboygan. They needed someone like Song (Kue) to communicate for them,” said Tom Witt, a former resident who has worked with Hmong families here.
The number of Hmong swelled from that first seven to about 55 family members by July, 1976, he said.
The rapid growth intensified the need for an interpreter. As a go-between for local residents and Hmong newcomers who didn’t have a spoken or written language of their own, Kue helped develop the Hmong community in Sheboygan. It’s now more than 3,000 people strong.
Shortly after his arrival, Kue also pleaded with the public to help the Hmong families facing Communist oppression at camps in Thailand, Witt said. Local families were needed to mentor the Hmong and help them start a new life here.
Song Kue said, “We need our families together here or they will die in Thailand refugee camps,” Witt said.
Kue also placed a key role in the religious conversion of the Hmong said Witt who got to know Kue in 1979.
Having been converted to Christianity by the Alliance of Christian Missionaries in his native Laos, Kue helped lead the religious conversion of the Hmong, Witt said.
Kue helped with Bible every Sunday night at Trinity Lutheran Church. In February 1977, he and Leonard, who was pastor at Grace Haven Church at the time, brought several families together for a mass baptism.
Eventually, Kue became the first Hmong to complete his education at the University of Wisconsin-Sheboygan and later got a degree in engineering. He had been employed by a Texas firm for four years, moving to Aurora, Ill., in 1986.
“Song Kue was a role model for the Hmong,” Witt said.
But Yang recalled that Kue retained close ties with family and friends in Sheboygan.
Kue also touched the lives of several people, including Leonard, who now is a missionary stationed in the Philippines for Vernacular Video Mission International.
“He was one of the reasons, one of the tremendous influences on me, that I resigned to be a missionary,” Leonard said. “This was the trigger that shot me out of the barrel.”
Sheboygan Press, December 24, 2000 P. 1
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