Over her three decades in Xinjiang, first as a teacher and later as a school principal, more than 3,000 students passed through Huang's classrooms. Her dedication earned her the title of National Excellent Teacher in 1960.

Huang and her husband did not have children, but according to those close to her, she often said that "to me, the children in Xinjiang were my own".

After retiring to her hometown of Hengyang in 1984, Huang continued her commitment to education. This was evident in her work with a 14-year-old boy named Xiaohui, who had been turned away from multiple schools due to disabilities and developmental challenges. For three years, Huang and her husband used specialized methods to teach him basic communication, literacy and life skills, eventually enabling him to enroll in primary school.

In 2011, at the age of 85, Huang registered as an organ and body donor, with her decision inspiring several others, including a nephew and 16 fellow nursing home residents, to do likewise.

"Huang's departure is not an end, but a continuation of love," Xiao Yan, a staff member from the Red Cross Society of China Hunan Branch, told local media.