Fu-Tzu Wu Chen

Fu-Tzu Wu Chen, or “Tina” Chen, age 85, passed away on February 21, 2022. Her memorial service was held at Taiwanese Presbyterian Church of Washington, in Derwood, MD on March 19, 2022. A video of the service is available at: https://youtu.be/XLU56tjOoBg The Life of Tina Chen: Fu-Tzu (“Tina”) was born on January 21, 1937, in Taipei, Taiwan. At that time, Taiwan was a Japanese colony. She was given the Japanese name “Tomico”. As the daughter of Shih Wu Wu and Pan Chiu Wu, she grew up as the fifth eldest child with five brothers and one older sister. Tina was a strong-willed and independent child. At that time the society in Taiwan generally favored boys over girls, and her family was no exception. Tina’s mother discouraged her from pursuing higher education. However, Tina prepared in secret for the university entrance exam. Her perseverance enabled her to be admitted to the Chemistry Department at National Taiwan Normal University on a full scholarship. After graduating, she worked at the Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica for two years before applying to graduate school in the United States. In 1964, Tina moved to Detroit, Michigan, after receiving a full scholarship to attend Wayne State University’s Ph.D program in organic chemistry. In 1972, Tina met Yi-Shung Chen and they married in December of that year. She joined him in Seattle, Washington where they enjoyed their early years of marriage. During this time, Tina also conducted cancer research at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, in Seattle. In 1976, the couple moved to Idaho. At this time, God blessed the Chen’s with a son, Joseph, and a daughter, Angela. In 1980, they moved to Pasadena, California, and Tina’s mother came from Taiwan to help raise the children. In 1981, the family settled in the Washington D.C area. At this time, the Chen’s began attending Taiwanese Presbyterian Church of Greater Washington, and met many life-long friends. In 1986, Tina and Yi-Shung started a Bible study with several other Christians. This group eventually developed into what was known as the Evangelical Formosan Church of Washington, D.C. The first worship service was held in their home. The church continued meeting in their home until August 1987, when their home could no longer accommodate the growing number of attendees. In the early years, Tina stayed home to raise her children. She eventually re-entered the workforce as a software engineer and began working for Computer Sciences Corporation in 1985. She was involved in developing air traffic control software for the US government (FAA) and later for the British government. Tina remained at CSC until her retirement in 2010. Tina had a passion for the Taiwanese people. She was deeply concerned about the democratic development of Taiwan as well as preserving Taiwanese culture and language. She was a long-time teacher at Washington DC Taiwanese School (WDCTS), an active member and supporter of Taiwanese American Association (TAA), Formosan Association of Public Affairs (FAPA), Capital Area Taiwanese Federal Credit Union (CATFCU), and various other civic groups. In 1997, Tina was a founding member of Taiwanese for Christ, Inc., which sought to serve the local churches as well as the local community in a variety of ways that demonstrated the love of Christ. In January 1998, Tina was widowed when Yi-Shung suddenly passed away. After many years, Yi-Chuan Pan, a close child-hood friend of the family and one of the people that introduced her to Yi-Shung, reconnected with her in 2008. They were married in March 2009 and enjoyed their retirement years together traveling, visiting friends, and growing vegetables. Yi-Chuan passed away in June 2013. One month later, Tina’s grief was softened by the birth of her granddaughter, Bethany Joy Chen, the daughter of Joseph and his wife, Sandy. In her later years, Tina had the help of her daughter, Angela, who moved back to the area to live with her. In the final year of her life, Tina spent her days in peaceful activity, writing Chinese calligraphy, doing chair exercises, playing keyboard, and continuing to pray for her family and friends. On February 21st of this year, Tina passed away peacefully with the love and care of family and friends. 陳吳富子的一生 Tina是1937年1月21出世在台灣台北，是吳士屋先生和吳潘秋女士的第五個囡仔，彼時是日本統治的時代，伊的名Tomico漢字寫做「富子」。伊攏總有五個兄弟和一個大姊。Tina是吳富子女士來美國讀冊號的名。 Tina是一個意志堅強、個性獨立的女性，在當時重男輕女的社會，老母無鼓勵伊繼續去受高等教育，伊著偷偷去考入公費的師大化學系。畢業後，因為成績逐好，伊會當入去中央研究院化學所服務兩冬，履行公費生的義務。 Tina在1964申請著密西根的維恩州立大學( Wayne State University)的獎學金，著搬去底特律進修有機化學的博士學位。 Tina在1972熟識陳義雄先生，兩人在彼年12月結婚。伊著搬去西雅圖和義雄做伙開創快樂的婚姻生活。仝時，Tina嘛在西雅圖的佛叡哈真遜癌症中心(Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center)做有關癌方面的研究。 怹在1976搬去愛達荷州，在遐，上帝賞賜怹一個後生Joseph和一個查某子Angela。1980怹搬去加州的帕莎珍娜(Pasadena)，彼時Tina的老母有對台灣來逗照顧二個孫。怹在1981搬來住久長的華府，在遮，怹歸家攏來華府台灣基督長老教會聚會，熟識真濟後半生的同鄉朋友。 Tina和義雄在1986開始和幾位基督徒同鄉做伙有固定的查經聚會。就按呢這個在怹厝的查經班發展做「華府台灣福音教會」，一直到1987怹的厝祙當容納愈來愈濟的聚會人數，才換所在租聚會場所。 初搬來華府之時，Tina專心在厝照顧子兒。幾冬後，才閣去呷頭路，做電腦軟體工程師。1985入去電腦科學公司(Computer Sciences Corporation, CSC)，參與發展航空交通管控系統。伊先是做美國政府的計畫，後來閣加入英國政府的計畫，在CSC的頭路一直做到2010退休。 Tina對台灣同鄉逐熱情，相當關心台灣的民主化和注重保持台灣文化和台灣話。伊長期做華府台語學校的教師，熱心參與華府台灣同鄉會、台灣人公共事務會和首都區域台灣人信用合作社等社團的活動。1997伊是「台灣人為基督」的開創者之一，向在地同鄉傳播耶穌基督的疼。 1988年1月義雄在台灣突然過身，Tina守寡真濟冬。直到2008有一日，一位細漢時陣家庭的朋友潘以洤先生，嘛是介紹Tina和義雄熟識的一個朋友，兩人再度互相聯繫，在2009年3月，怹相疼結婚，互相享受旅行尋朋友，和種菜的退休生活。以洤在2013年6月過身，一月日後，Tina的後生Joseph 和媳婦Sandy予伊得著一個查某孫Bethany，才較減輕伊的哀傷。 在後來的日子，查某子Angela搬轉來做伙住，順紲照顧Tina。Tina平時安靜練寫毛筆字、坐椅仔運動、彈琴和為親友祈禱。今年2月21，Tina在親友不時的關懷和疼惜中間，平靜放落世間轉去天家。