Kwei-Lien Koo

Jenny was born near Beijing, China, on March 22, 1938, to Pu Tang Chu and Yu Wei Xin. The youngest of seven children, she endured a tough childhood, losing her mother when she was only 12 years old. She lived through times of great change and in 1949, moved with most of her family to Taiwan, where she grew up next door to the family of her future husband, Yung-Hsen Koo.

A woman of many gifts, Jenny earned her degree in Home Economics from Shih Chien University. Her education provided her with lifelong skills that reflected her creativity and care for others. She was an accomplished watercolor artist, could sew, knit, crochet, and style hair with remarkable talent—but it was her cooking that made everyone rave. Jenny was especially known for her made-from-scratch Chinese dumplings, which became a family favorite. She even shared her talents with the public, giving cooking demonstrations at Bloomingdale’s in Flushing, NY—long before cooking shows became popular. Jenny always carried herself with beauty and grace. Beautiful, stylish and classy, she could make any outfit look elegant.

In October 1960, Jenny married Yung-Hsen Koo. Together, with their three children, they built a rich and full life, living in Taiwan, Thailand, and Canada before eventually settling in Washington, D.C. Jenny waited until her youngest daughter graduated from high school before joining her husband in Saudi Arabia, where he was a Project Manager with Exxon/Mobil MRDC. As his career flourished, they traveled the world together and lived in California, Boston, Korea, and Singapore, one of her favorite places.The Koo family settled in Houston, TX in late 1977 and all three children attended Stratford HS and The University of Texas at Austin. Jenny was a kind, generous, and spirited soul. Everyone she met loved her spunky and feisty energy. She will be deeply missed by all the lives she enriched.

She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Leader, who would have been 64 this year. Jenny is survived by her husband, Yung-Hsen Koo, her two daughters and their spouses - Emerald and Alasdair Greig, Grace Koo, and her grandchildren: Andrew Greig and his wife Paige, Tara Greig, Cameron Joey Koo,Trinity Frank, and Eliot Frank.