From YuChuan Fong Cline:

My name is YuChuan Fong Cline and I was originally from Taiwan.  I now live in New Jersey, U.S.A.  Ya-Ching came into my life in the early 1980s when she moved from Singapore to New Jersey and took up a position where I used to work. We quickly became good friends.  For the next 10 years, Ya-Ching became part of our family, spending many weekends and holidays with us.  She loved our children who were toddlers at the time.  She not only helped watch them, entertaining them while we were busy, she also sat through numerous violin recitals during the girls’ school years.  For Easter holidays, Ya-Ching would prepare Easter baskets for the children.  For Halloween, Ya-Ching always could not wait to see what the girls would dress up as.  ‘Auntie Ya-Ching’ had become a big part of our children’s life.  We went from colleagues to very close family friends.

At work, Ya-Ching was one of the few gurus developing a complex telecommunication signaling system.  While everyone else was just winging it, Ya-Ching diligently and meticulously compiled what she studied into a notebook, which the colleagues later on referred to as the ‘Bible’ of our system. 

Ya-Ching not only was brilliant in math, science and technology, she was also extremely talented in art.  I don’t know how much she shared with the rest of the world, but my family was always amazed by the sketches she made while entertaining the kids and the hand-drawn birthday cards she made for us.  Her recent miniature hand-felt wool figurines truly uncovered her art genes.  

Ya-Ching loved her family in Singapore.  When her father was seriously ill, she wanted him to see the best doctor in the world.  She went home and escorted her father back to the U.S. to see the top doc in New York City.  Her action spoke loudly for her love to the family.  After her father’s passing, Ya-Ching wrapped up the chapter of her life in the U.S. and moved on to Munich.  Somehow years flew by and we let our busy lives keep us from visiting each other.  

This past July when I got the news that Ya-Ching was critically ill and that she much preferred Asian meals over the hospital food, I wanted to fly to Munich to help.  Unfortunately my ailing mother also needed my care.  When my mother was stabilized, I booked airline tickets for Munich.  Two days before my flight, my mother suddenly passed away.  Sadly, I lost my mother and my good friend all in the same week.   

Our hearts are heavy as we say good-bye to Ya-Ching, but we can choose to rejoice that she no longer suffers.   Her spirit will live on just as we will always remember her. 

Ya-Ching, even though that I did not get another chance to serve you another meal on earth, I like to think that we will have many more feasts together in heaven.