Helen Hwa Jung Wen

Michael was born on February 19, 1932 in Nanking, China, to Ling Wen and Lan Tee Wu. Helen was born on February 9, 1935 in Ohwon Village, Tainan Hsien, Taiwan, to Yuan Hsin Wu and Lee Chen Yun Wu.

Michael graduated from National Cheng-Kung University in Taiwan with a Bachelors of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1953. From 1953 until 1963, he worked as a design and quality-assurance engineer first for Taiwan Shipbuilding Company and later for Air Asia. In 1963, he arrived in the United States to begin studies towards a Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Rhode Island. He earned his M.S. in 1965, after which he worked as a senior engineer and manager at Colt Industries and Louis Allis-Beloit Power Systems in Beloit, Wisconsin. His wife Helen and sons, Tony and Ted, joined him in Beloit in 1967. In 1976, Michael received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1980, he began working for Westinghouse Electric Corporation/TECO as Senior Engineer in Round Rock, Texas, until his retirement in 1998. He was a renowned expert in stress and vibration analysis consulted by companies in Belgium, Germany and China, and helped to design motors for naval submarines and naval and civilian ships. To his family, his greatest accomplishment was his devoted caretaking of his wife during their final two years together after Helen fell ill.

Helen graduated from National University of Tainan in 1953 as a teacher and taught at Ohwon Village elementary school. In 1972, she earned an LVN degree at Beloit Community College and worked in a physician’s office. She continued her training and earned a B.S. in Health Professions from Southwest Texas State University while working as a cardiology nurse at Seton Hospital in Austin, Texas. In 1992, she earned a Masters of Arts in Human Services from St. Edward’s University at the age of 57. After concluding her nursing career in a hospital setting, she transitioned to caring for employees at Motorola Company in Austin, Texas and Raytheon in McKinney, Texas, until her retirement in 1998. Helen was well-loved by her former students and patients, some of whom still correspond with her. Concurrent with furthering her education and profession, Helen was a devoted wife who utilized her training to care for Michael’s wellbeing. She devoted the last few years of her life as a tireless community and civic activist and this likely contributed to her failing health.

Michael and Helen were devoted parents to their two sons, Tony and Ted, and to their daughters-in-law, Lonnie and Elizabeth, and they were equally devoted to their grandchildren, Nicole, Michael and Alexandra, all of whom survive them. Michael is also survived by his sister Laura Wen. Helen is survived by her siblings Sumy Wu; Helo Wu; Jerry and Jenny Wu; Kate and Ruey Wang; Kristin and Yasu Chen; Terri and Richard Yu; Windsor and Jenny Wu; and their respective children.

A joint memorial service for both of them will be held at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home on Friday, April 11, 2014, at 4:00 p.m.:

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made instead to the University of Rhode Island Foundation, College of Engineering, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881 in honor of Michael and Helen Wen. Website: http://www.urifoundation.org/

Or to the following fund at UT-Medical Branch, where their son Tony is Residency Director and the Howard and Lillian Becker Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology:

Michael & Helen Wen OB/GYN Residency Education Fund

UTMB Development Office

301 University Boulevard

Galveston, TX 77555-0148