Korbin Liu
who took backyard
gardening to a new
level, died Aug. 12
of esophageal
cancer. (Family Photo
- Family Photo)
who took backyard
gardening to a new
level, died Aug. 12
of esophageal
cancer. (Family Photo
- Family Photo)
Health Policy Analyst Was 'So Much
More Than the Job'
More Than the Job'
By Patricia Sullivan Washington Post Staff Writer, Sunday, August 19, 2007
Korbin Liu had a weekend ritual.
During the warm-weather months, his family said, he would pore over the nursery and garden store ads in the
Friday newspaper. Saturday and Sunday would find him buying and installing new shrubs and ornamentals in his
spacious yard or moving around the botanicals he had previously planted.
Friday newspaper. Saturday and Sunday would find him buying and installing new shrubs and ornamentals in his
spacious yard or moving around the botanicals he had previously planted.
On Sunday night, he would announce: "It's done -- the garden is perfect, and I'm retiring."
The following Friday, he would repeat the process.
"It's like a madness about him," his wife of 28 years, Barbara Marzetta Liu, said, laughing. "I'd say, 'Can't we just go out to breakfast on
the weekend?' "
the weekend?' "
A cheerful, easygoing man who liked nothing better than to putter around outdoors in the early morning, Liu died Aug. 12 at the
Washington Home Hospice. He had esophageal cancer.
Washington Home Hospice. He had esophageal cancer.
All but a Washington native, Liu arrived in the District in 1947, at the age of 3, after his father was assigned as a naval attache at the
Chinese Embassy. The family remained in Washington after the Communist Revolution, and he graduated from a triumvirate of
Northwest Washington public schools: Murch Elementary, Alice Deal Junior High and Woodrow Wilson High School.
Chinese Embassy. The family remained in Washington after the Communist Revolution, and he graduated from a triumvirate of
Northwest Washington public schools: Murch Elementary, Alice Deal Junior High and Woodrow Wilson High School.
His work brought him recognition -- he was a health policy analyst at the Urban Institute for more than two decades -- but he said the most
challenging, entertaining and satisfying undertaking was the six years that he coached a Capitol City Little League team, the Blue Sox.
challenging, entertaining and satisfying undertaking was the six years that he coached a Capitol City Little League team, the Blue Sox.
"He was an only child who married and had three girls and became coach of 15 girls," said Tom Moore, a friend who coached with him.
"He was a stickler for fundamentals. . . . He would drill them, speaking softly, always very calm. He never showed any bad behavior in
front of the kids, just very steady and very kind."
"He was a stickler for fundamentals. . . . He would drill them, speaking softly, always very calm. He never showed any bad behavior in
front of the kids, just very steady and very kind."
His twin daughters, Meredith and Kimberly, looked identical to Moore, but their father, of course, could tell them apart -- until one game
when the team found itself in a tight spot and Liu barked "Meredith!" to his daughter. "I'm Kimberly," she responded.
when the team found itself in a tight spot and Liu barked "Meredith!" to his daughter. "I'm Kimberly," she responded.
While the 9- to 12-year-old Blue Sox were quick studies in the concepts of softball, they sometimes had trouble executing on the field.
Yet the fundamentals stuck with them; the team's graduates went on to play at Wilson, where they often dominated the girls softball
league.
Yet the fundamentals stuck with them; the team's graduates went on to play at Wilson, where they often dominated the girls softball
league.
His eldest daughter, Katharine Korbin Liu, now a graduate student at the Shakespeare Institute in England, said that while she was
growing up, the family spent a lot of time "goofing off in the back yard" or at the Rock Creek Nature Center. Birthday parties included
pie-eating contests, egg races -- and "I believe he invented the infamous toilet-paper-on-a-string contest," she said. Sheets of TP
were hung on a line, and partygoers, armed with squirt guns, competed to see who could first cause their sheets to fall by soaking them.
"That was all him," she said.
growing up, the family spent a lot of time "goofing off in the back yard" or at the Rock Creek Nature Center. Birthday parties included
pie-eating contests, egg races -- and "I believe he invented the infamous toilet-paper-on-a-string contest," she said. Sheets of TP
were hung on a line, and partygoers, armed with squirt guns, competed to see who could first cause their sheets to fall by soaking them.
"That was all him," she said.
At work, he was a mentor to the young people who joined the Urban Institute shortly after they finished college. He recruited and taught
young colleagues the ropes of research and showed real interest in their lives, offering advice on home purchases, gossiping about pets
and partners, and arranging work schedules to accommodate family life for both women and men.
young colleagues the ropes of research and showed real interest in their lives, offering advice on home purchases, gossiping about pets
and partners, and arranging work schedules to accommodate family life for both women and men.
His office had lots of photos of his children, and at the small table where he held meetings, he would always provide a box of cookies or
snacks.
snacks.
Bowen Garrett, who worked with him, recalled talking for weeks about a planned deep-sea fishing trip to Florida. Liu was headed to Cape
Cod at the same time. In Florida, weather kept Garrett from his long-awaited excursion, but he returned to find Liu with a vacation photo of
himself landing a huge striped bass in the New England waters.
Cod at the same time. In Florida, weather kept Garrett from his long-awaited excursion, but he returned to find Liu with a vacation photo of
himself landing a huge striped bass in the New England waters.
"I'm not even a fisherman, and look what I caught!" he teased Garrett.
His good humor, friendliness and unflappability made him extremely popular with co-workers, who joked about his predilection for cheap
food in big quantities, once leading a group of colleagues through a downpour in New York's Chinatown in search of a hole-in-the-wall
restaurant he'd heard about. By the time they found it, the entire group was soaked to the bone -- but the food was great.
food in big quantities, once leading a group of colleagues through a downpour in New York's Chinatown in search of a hole-in-the-wall
restaurant he'd heard about. By the time they found it, the entire group was soaked to the bone -- but the food was great.
"He was so much more than the job here," said Sharon Long, who was on that rainy dinner run and who worked with him for 15 years.
"In D.C. especially, the egos get in the way. It's 'my job, my role, my publications.' Korbin wasn't at all like that. He wanted to know the whole
person -- your family, partners and pets. He'd have funny stories about the day, and he touched lots of people."
"In D.C. especially, the egos get in the way. It's 'my job, my role, my publications.' Korbin wasn't at all like that. He wanted to know the whole
person -- your family, partners and pets. He'd have funny stories about the day, and he touched lots of people."
| Korbin Liu |