On the evening of August 29, 2019 at 9:15 PM, Jie Li passed away at the ripe old age of 94. The news of her passing has brought grief and sorrow to our entire family, but we are grateful that she passed peacefully.
Jie was born on November 25, 1925 in Yuanshi, Hebei province, China. She was the only girl out of five in her family. She and her husband raised 4 children; 3 sons and a daughter. A great source of pride, they have all accomplished great academic achievements; all received bachelor’s degrees, two with Doctorates and the daughter is a physician. Her grandchildren have also all gone on to receive higher education.
She was a tough lady who had experienced things like WWII, the civil war, famine, and the Cultural Revolution in China. After retirement, in 1992 Jie and her husband decided to immigrate to Canada be with her eldest son’s family and to help take care of their kids. Little did she know, this would be where she would stay for the next 27 years of her life. From Saskatoon to Calgary to Winnipeg, Jie’s Canadian life was solidly rooted in the Prairies.
In China, Jie was a pillar in the community, and neighbors would send their children to her to look after without renumeration, to the point that many of those children today still call her mom. She was also well known in her city to be a skilled artisan, and could make elaborate paper cuts, embroidery and decorative elements for traditional clothing.
In Canada, she loved playing mahjong with the grandkids and her mahjong buddies. She enjoyed daily walks in the park, doting on our cats and she had an amazing talent for adult coloring. In another lifetime she would have been a great artist. She was a very patient and loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who was not afraid to overcome any hardships that came her way. She was always ready to greet the world with a smile and share sage wisdom to those who were willing to listen. She loved life, and lived fully, and we will miss all the stories she used to tell us about growing up in rural China.
She leaves to cherish her memory: 3 sons, Yueshu (Lili), Weishu (Shuqin), Guishu (Jianghong), and daughter Shufen (Shaolong); grandchildren, Leilei (Victor), Qianqian, Mengmeng (Dongbo), Jillian, Yuqi (Jichao), Alexander; and great-grandchildren, Cosmo and Harper. She was predeceased by her parents, 4 brothers, and husband Zhengjiang Li. We will all miss her dearly.
Acknowledgements
Our family would like to express our sincerest gratitude to the dedicated staff at both St. Boniface and Victoria General Hospitals. As well as, to all those who have supported us during this difficult time.
祭母文
公元二零一九年八月二十九日晚九时十五分,吾母吉娥不幸染疾辞世,惊闻噩耗,家族震动,亲人同悲,感怀母恩,特著此文:
慈母仙逝,年逾九旬。相夫教子,友爱比邻。
勤俭持家,不畏艰辛。严于律己,宽以待人。
敬老爱幼,仁厚诚信。多行义举,感人至深。
坚持善念,将心比心。以和为贵,一生平稳。
家业兴旺,泽被子孙。无奈不测,重病缠身。
一卧数月,不幸辞尘。呜呼母亲,百唤不闻。
肝肠寸断,血泪沾巾。哀嚎祭奠,悲痛难陈。
呜呼哀哉,伏维尚飨
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