Su-Chin Jong

Mrs. Su-Chin Hsiao Jong was born on July 27,1932, in Zhang-Hua, Taiwan. Her father was educated in Japan and worked as a high school English teacher. Her mother came from a wealthy family. Su-Chin was the firstborn followed by 5 brothers. In WWII her father was drafted by the Japanese military to be a translator in Southeast Asia. He survived the war, but did not return to Taiwan, leaving her mother to raise the kids by herself in poverty. Su-Chin felt tremendous debt to her mother and in later years brought her from Taiwan to live with her in Houston. Later her mother developed dementia, but Su-Chin tirelessly and patiently cared for her mother until her mother passed in 1999.

Su-Chin attended Yuan Lin Elementary School, and then Zhang Hua Girls School after placing high on the entrance exam. However, she had to quit school after one year due to poverty, and to help support her family, she worked as a pharmacy technician at a doctor’s clinic. Then Dr. Jacob Sun, the chief of Mackay Memorial Hospital in Taipei, referred her to work as a hospital pharmacy technician and then as a pathology lab technician for 6 years. With her fluent Japanese, she then transitioned as a sample drugs administrator at the main Takeda Pharmaceutical import company. During this time period, she met Mr. Wann Lung Jong, who was a pharmacist working as a pharmaceutical representative at the same company. Su-Chin and Wann Lung married in 1959, and in these 60 years, they have raised 2 girls, 2 boys, and 8 grandchildren.

Regretful of her own limited opportunities for schooling, she stressed the importance of education to her children. She encouraged her husband to come to the US in the late 1970’s to seek the American dream, and she had to raise four children by herself in Taipei for a few years while he was away. The whole family immigrated to Houston in February of 1980, and she was almost 48 years old at that time. To help the family financially, she worked at a factory assembling lawn edgers, which injured her hands severely in just a few days. She then had to take jobs in fast food restaurants because of her limited English and lack of credentials. Eventually, she and her husband decided to venture into the laundromat business. Although they worked long hours at the laundromat, their finances improved little, even with their children helping out at the laundromat on nights and weekends. When their children grew up and started college, they sold the laundromat and started Cathay Foods Company. They grew the business successfully in a few years and worked there until their retirement, remaining as owners of the egg roll manufacturing company which continues to operate successfully currently.

Su-Chin professed her faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and was baptized at age 20 during her second year at Mackay Memorial Hospital. She joined Shuan Lien Presbyterian Church and was very active in the young adults fellowship as well as the church choir. She developed her love of choir singing which had not diminished since. She sang with choirs of various churches she attended, the Taiwan Chorus of Houston and the choir of Houston Formosan Evergreen Association. Even after her stroke, she regularly attended the weekly LoLo choir rehearsals to sing and socialize.

She had always lived her life as a testimony of her Christian faith. She especially focused on nurturing the faith of her children. The family attended Sunday worship services regularly. In addition, she led nightly family time to read the Bible and pray. After settling in Houston, the family attended St. Paul Presbyterian Church in the Sharpstown neighborhood. In raising her children, she never physically disciplined or yelled at them. Instead, she led by example, and she patiently guided them with her love and kindness. To them, she is the embodiment of love. Although she encountered many hardships in her life, she never faltered in her faith in God to lead her future. With a thankful heart, she was always eager to serve our Lord and generously help others. She would often drive others to community events and doctor appointments. People around her always sensed her joy and were cheered by her ever-present infectious smile.

Living out Jesus’ commandment to love our neighbor, Su-Chin was passionate about her community. She served as an officer of the Evergreen Association for several years, then served as its president from 2009 to 2012. She firmly believed “you’ll lose it if you don’t use it,” and facilitated various activities and service opportunities to engage these elderly members. Under her leadership, the Evergreen Association grew to become a wonderful, strong community asset.

Even at over 80 years old, she was still very active in church and various community organizations. Sadly, in March of 2013, she suffered a stroke that left her paralyzed on the left side, and she became wheelchair dependent. Despite these health setbacks, she was never resentful. Even after her stroke, she never complained about her situation, still full of faith and thankful to the Lord for her life, appreciating everyone and everything around her. Unfortunately, in the six years since the stroke, her heart and lungs steadily weakened. On November 15, 2019, she was admitted to St. Luke’s Hospital ICU for respiratory distress. After one week in the ICU, surrounded by her loved ones, Su-Chin succumbed to her illness and joined our Lord in Heaven on November 23 at 6:24 pm.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.” — 2 Timothy 4: 7-8

Su-Chin is survived by her husband Wann Lung Jong, children Sherry, Sue, Kevin, and Joe, their spouses Richard, Charles, Janet, and Grace, and grandchildren Chelsea, Kaitlyn, Clarise, Jared, Abby, Chloe, Preston, and Kiki.

蕭長老生於1932年7月27日彰化縣社頭鄉，排行長女。她父親是日本東京高等師範畢業回台的中學英文教師（先於台北二中現成功中學其後屏東農校），母親娘家是村上望族。而後陸續添了5個弟弟。無奈父親在世界二戰時被日本徵去南洋當翻譯官，此後渺無音訊，令至家庭經濟陷困境。

小學就讀員林小學，後考上彰化女中，但就讀以後因家境貧窮無法繼續。身為長女，她犧牲蹉學找工作補助家費。先就業為醫師診所藥劑生，十九歲時由孫雅各院長介紹去馬階醫院，由藥劑生轉換為實/化驗室做助理檢驗員，總共六年半。然後因爲日文靈通，得以轉職到台北日本武田藥品Taketa總代理商擔任藥品樣品管理員。於此時認識同公司任職藥廠代表鍾萬隆藥劑師。交往後於1959年結婚，迄今已逾60年且育有二女二子，八個內外孫子女。

因為小時無法完成學業的遺憾，她堅信下一輩的教育。促先生於1970年代末期來美國開展，而自己在台單獨擔當養育4個子女重擔。一心一意為了兒女之未來，於1980年2月全家六口移民來美定居休士頓。當時正好休士頓經濟不景氣，想補助家庭但語言不通也無學歷，就咬牙去做割草修邊機器製造工廠女工。沒幾天雙手都被割得皮破血流，只好去快餐店打工。後來先生決定投資機器洗衣店，可惜休士頓經濟還未起升，夫婦兩人從清晨至夜晚都在洗衣店工作，四個青少年兒女也齊力幫助每晚打掃關店，周末假日幫忙代洗看店。幾年後才賣洗衣店轉開春捲工廠，隨著休士頓當地經濟回復，勤奮經營的春捲工廠也蒸蒸日上。她一直感念自己母親孤單辛苦扶養一群子女長大，當春捲工廠上路後，就接已有老年痴呆症狀的母親來美國細心照顧，直至母親1999年安息歸主。

在馬偕醫院第二年，她接受耶穌受洗。那時她在雙連教會非常活躍，除了參與青年團契活動外，她最喜愛在詩班唱歌。這熱愛吟唱未因年長而減低，參與各屬教會聖歌隊及女宣詩班，她還參加過台聲合唱團，長春會合唱團，中風以後也還在樂樂合唱團一起聯誼歡唱。

在20歲接受基督後她時時活出她的信仰，非常注重兒女之信仰教育，從小每晚一起家庭禮拜讀聖經禱告。來美初期參加美國長老教會，每晚唸一段教會禮拜的禱告文及經節。她從不打罵教訓小孩，但以身作則，以愛來牽動兒女們。在他們心上，她就是愛的化身。來美移民生活艱苦，但仰望主帶領她的未來她很少為明日擔憂。依然以感恩的心為主作工熱心幫助別人。在她身邊的人都感受她充滿喜樂的生命，永遠笑咪咪的。快81歲中風後， 雖身體狀況不好，她還是充滿信心，從未怨嘆。

她熱愛服務社會，擔任長春會理事後，從2009-2012年她任職會長。她堅信 ”不用它即會失去它”，推展各種活動帶動各個會員義工身心活力，在其任下長春會繼續茁壯成長為休士頓台灣人活動重要社團之一。

八十歲半時還是非常活躍參加各個教會及社團活動，服務開車載人去看醫生。不幸於2013年3月中風導致左邊半身不遂，從此倚靠輪椅行動。中風後，從未怨天怨地，還是堅信上帝的旨意與帶領。無奈中風6年多心肺漸漸虛弱，肺部不時積水，肺組織逐漸硬化。11月15日因呼吸困難進加護病房，一禮拜後不治。於11月23日6時24分在先生兒女孫子女們圍繞下歸主懷抱。

“那美好的仗我已經打過了。當跑的路我已經跑盡了。所信的道我已經守住了。

從此以後、有公義的冠冕為我存留。” — 提後4:7-8

遺族

夫 萬隆

兒女 香芸 淑貞 曜聰 明洲

婿媳 英源 春剛 真悅 齡慧

孫 正苓 凱玲 逸理 興傑 凱嫻 逸寧 興培 晏如