Wu Hsiung Hsu

Dr. Wu-Hsiung Ernest Hsu, known to many as “Ernie,” passed away unexpectedly, but peacefully on Christmas Day 2017 in his daughter’s and son-in-law’s home in Seattle, WA. He was 75. Ernie was born in Keelung, Taiwan on November 3, 1942 to Chin-Wen Hsu and Yin Hsu as the second of nine children. He graduated in 1967 from the National Taiwan University with a B.S. in Forestry followed by an M.S. in Forestry. He received a hard-earned scholarship to Louisiana State University where he earned an M.S. degree, then went on to earn an M.S. degree from University of Illinois, then went on to earn a Ph.D. in Materials Science & Engineering from Washington State University. Ernie was a dedicated and brilliant scientist, building a career in engineered wood products, specializing in oriented strand board (OSB). Ernie was awarded over 15 original process, equipment, and product patents related to wood composites in the U.S., Canada, and European Union for his innovations and advancements in engineered wood products that will continue to improve lives through better and more affordable building construction. Ernie is a fellow of the International Academy of Wood Science. We are so fortunate that Ernie was able to leave his legacy and share his deep technical knowledge by publishing two books that have been read and studied worldwide. Ernie loved his work and persisted as a dedicated and unrelenting scientist; he continued to provide technical advising to OSB manufacturers right up until his passing, having just returned from a business trip providing consulting services in Malaysia and China two days before his passing. Ernie was full of energy and zest for life. He loved walking, often walking 18,000 steps in a day, and was rarely seen without his stylish, brightly colored sneakers on! Ernie also traveled the world for work and for pleasure. In just the last decade of his life, Ernie traveled the world with his daughter to Iceland, Russia, India, the United Arab Emirates, Costa Rica, Alaska (to see the Northern Lights), Machu Pichu, Singapore, Angkor Wat, and the Galápagos Islands; with his daughter and son-in-law to Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Taiwan, and China; and with loved ones to Langkawi, U.S. national parks, eastern Canada, and countless other places. Ernie had a full life and saw more than 50 countries during his lifetime on this earth. Just three months before his passing, he and his daughter Irena visited a rural village in Zambia and went on safari in South Africa where Ernie came face to face with lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, water buffalos, giraffes, zebras, and countless other animals. Above all else, Ernie was a wonderful father, father-in-law, husband, son, brother, uncle, great uncle, friend, and mentor. He was universally thought of by those who knew him as compassionate, gentle, generous, and modest. He was a doting, proud father who was unconditionally tender-hearted with his daughter. Ernie was also a caring and supportive father-in-law, who was always modest and gracious with his son-in-law. He was a devoted, supportive, and patient husband. Ernie was a dedicated, loving son who showed constant care for his parents and in his last decade on this earth, was able to return to Taiwan several times a year to care for his mother before she passed in August 2017. Ernie is survived by his daughter Irena Hsu; son-in-law Vikram Advani; brothers Wen-Hsiung Hsu (wife Ya-Lin Lin), Ching-Hsiung Hsu (wife Pin-Ying Fong), Hui-Hsiung Hsu (wife Chong-Yi Lee), Chi-Hsiung Hsu (wife Jauin Hsu), Chien-Hsiung Hsu (wife Su-Chu Huang), Te-Hsiung Hsu (wife Hsiu-Hui Wu), and Chun-Hsiung Hsu; and sister Hsueh-E Hsu (husband Chen-Hsiung Lin). Ernie was preceded in death by his parents, Chin-Wen Hsu and Yin Hsu, and his wife Julia Kao Hsu. 許武雄博士，又稱Ernie，不幸於2017年耶誕節，在女兒及女婿位於華盛頓州西雅圖的家中突然但平靜的過世，享壽75歲。 許武雄博士1942年11月3日出生於臺灣基隆市，是許錦文先生和許銀女士九個兒女中的次子。他於1970年取得國立臺灣大學森林系碩士學位，並獲不易取得的獎學金遠赴路易士安那州立大學鑽研碩士後也在伊利諾大學取得碩士學位，最後在華盛頓州立大學拿下材料科學與工程博士學位。他是一位認真投入的優秀科學家，在工程木材的產品和定向纖維板上擁有相當大的成就，以及在美國、加拿大與歐盟獲得超過15項有關木材的製成、器材以及產品的專利。因為他在工程木材的創新與發展，使得建築材料有突破性的改善，許多人能負擔得起，生活因此變得更為美好。他也是國際木材科學研究院中的院士之一，他將其淵博的專業知識寫成被廣為閱讀的兩本著作，流傳下來與我們分享。他熱愛他的工作，堅持不懈的作為一個專注且毫不鬆懈的科學家。退休後，他仍持續為定向纖維板的製造廠商提供專業建議。過世前兩天，他還在馬來西亞和中國提供專業諮詢服務。 許武雄博士總是充滿精力且對生命充滿熱情。他熱愛健行，總是穿著他時尚亮麗的運動鞋步行，有時一天能走上18,000步。他亦常因工作或娛樂旅行全世界，過去10年，他和他的女兒艾琳到過冰島、俄羅斯、印度、阿拉伯聯合大公國、哥斯大黎加、阿拉斯加（極光）、馬丘比丘、新加坡、吳哥窟以及加拉巴哥群島；也和女兒女婿拜訪過智利、阿根廷、烏拉圭、臺灣跟中國；亦曾和知心好友到過蘭卡威、美國國家公園、加拿大東岸以及其他無數的地方。許武雄博士在世時有一個充實的人生，拜訪了超過50個國家。三個月前，他和女兒的足跡散佈在辛巴威鄉村部落及非洲大草原，與獅子、獵豹、大象、犀牛、水牛、長頸鹿、斑馬以及無數其他的動物面對面接觸。 最重要的是，他是最棒的爸爸、岳父、先生、兒子、兄弟、長輩、朋友及導師，在認識他的人眼中他是個溫柔、慈悲、謙讓及慷慨大方的人。他總是無條件付出，無限寵愛女兒，是一個以女兒為傲的父親。也是一個關心支持女婿的岳父，總是謙遜又親切。 同時，他也是一位事親至孝的兒子，這10年內（2017年8月母親過世前），每年多次回台灣探視照料母親。 許武雄博士在他的父親許錦文、母親許銀、妻子許高文幸過世後離世，身後留下女兒許艾琳、女婿 Vikram Advani，兄弟許文雄（妻子林亞琳）、許慶雄（妻子馮品英）、許輝雄（妻子酈仲宜）、許志雄（妻子許兆英）、許健雄（妻子黃素珠）、許德雄（妻子吳秀慧）、許俊雄、妹妹許雪娥（丈夫林正雄）。