Jerry Wan Chi

Pastor Jerry Chi was born in the Qingshui District (Tsing Sway) of Taiwan on Sept. 10, 1936. His Father, Cheng-Tou Chi was a famous sculptor during the Japanese occupation of Taiwan during World War 2. He was also a Chinese scroll artist who travelled to Korea and Japan for his work. He was a self-taught scholar and encouraged his children to excel at school and focus on their studies. His wife, Jerry’s mother, Ai Chi-Tsai gave birth to 9 children. Pastor Chi was the 8th child and he had 5 older brothers, one younger brother, and 2 older sisters. Jerry joined the Seventh Day Adventist church as a teenager and was excited to attend the SDA Taiwan Missionary College and he chose to study theology to become a Pastor. While in college, he met a sweet and cute nursing student at the same school, Juanita Hwang who was active in school clubs as was Jerry and they became friends. Given that Jerry was a poor college student, his first gift to Juanita was a small bundle of paper wrapped sour preserved plums (li-hing) that are a favorite snack in Taiwan. The small gift captured Juanita’s heart and they got engaged and got married six years after they met on Sept 11, 1960. Two days after their wedding, they packed up all their belongings and headed up the desolate mountains in Taiwan as missionaries to the native aborigines who lived there. It was here that their eldest son, Bobby was born in 1962. The following year, their second son Barry was born and in 1966 their daughter, Bonnie was born. In 1968 the family moved from Taipei which is in the Northern part of Taiwan to the Southern part of Taiwan and Pastor Chi assumed the role as the Principal at the Sanyu Bible Boarding Academy. They were surrounded by banana plantations, mango groves, rice patties and weathered many typhoons. It was in this idyllic tropical farmland that the kids would run free, climb trees, and swim in the stream next to house that also served as a cooling spot for water buffalos that the local farmers used to work and plow their fields with. In 1973, the family move to the U.S. for Pastor Chi to complete his master program in education at La Sierra College. In 1976, Pastor Chi returned to Taiwan to teach religion at the Taiwan Adventist College in Yuchih. He returned to California in 1978 and rejoined his family who had remained in Loma Linda and he proceeded to earn a degree as a nuclear medicine technologist. Jerry then worked for nearly 18 years in this profession in various hospitals throughout the Inland Empire. He returned once again to serve as a faculty at the Taiwan Adventist College for 2 more years in from 1996 – 1998. Following these two years of teaching in Taiwan, he returned to Loma Linda and his wife Juanita retired from being a nurse and they started to enjoy their retirement by helping babysit grandkids, exercising at Drayson Center, drawing and painting, going on trips, and exploring new countries on cruises and tours. During his life, Pastor Chi was an active member at the local Chinese Churches in the various places he lived. He served as elder and Sabbath School leader at the Loma Linda Chinese SDA Church for many years. He loved God and he never tired of reading his Bible or the many biblical scholarly books from around the world. He was a lifelong reader and read books and more books and newspapers. He passed away peacefully sleeping on a lounger on August 2nd, 2023 surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Juanita and his three children, Bobby, Barry, and Bonnie. He has six grandchildren, Robert, Geoffrey, Joshua, Kalisa, Evan, and Angeline. His adventurous and naturally curious spirit will be missed by all who loved and cherished him and most especially by his family. We look forward to the day Jesus reunites us all again.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.montecitomemorialparkandmortuary.com for the Chi family.