Jo Mei Lin Chou was born on Feb. 1st, 1939, in Nan-Tze, a small village just outside Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Her family moved to the city when she was seven. Much like her father Ming-Huei, who was a very successful business person, she treated her friends and family with utmost generosity and love. As the big sister in a family of seven, she was the caretaker for her younger brothers and sisters. She was loved immensely parents and grandparents alike. She had a very happy and healthy childhood. The family always had trips planned where they would go pick fruits in their own gardens or fish in their own ponds.
For Jo-Mei, the family came first and so after graduating high school, she moved to Taipei to go to a college of home economics. Although she was already a talent in the kitchen, she got even better. After graduation from college, she married a medical doctor through the family arrangement. Her husband - Shue-Lee Chou, has just graduated from Kaohsiung Medical College as well. Despite the challenge facing the two young graduates in having to find work and settle down to start a family, they managed to overcome obstacles and thrive despite setbacks. After several years of working for big national hospitals, she helped her husband set up their own pediatric clinic in Kaohsiung. Difficult at first, she learned what it took to juggle among clinical management and patients. Although she had no formal medical training, she was able to quickly administer some of the nursing tasks. Before you know it, the clinic became a trusted favorite among locals and here kids remembered there would always be patients lining up to see their father.
Shortly after her marriage, Jo Mei gave birth to three children while working full-time and managing the clinic. Not only was she a devoted mother, she sacrificed much of her own time taking kids to and from after-school activities such as tutors and music lessons. She would sit with them at the music lessons and waited until they were finished. She would get up extra early in the morning to prepare lunches and chauffeur the three kids to and from school so they didn’t have to wait for the school bus. Whatever the kids needed she was there. Thanks to her, her daughter and son are able to play piano and violins up until they left home from high school.
Besides being a caring and responsible mother, she was a devoted daughter and caretaker to her father as well. When he suffered from a stroke in the 90’s, she took on the task of caring for not only him but her mother as well. She would have them live with her, cook for them, take them to places and take care of their daily needs. This went on for many years. As the oldest of three girls, she was very close to her two younger sisters and brothers. She treated her in-laws with very high respect. In the period of in Taiwan, they also traveled many places, with kids or with parents. Life was very happy, busy, rich, peaceful, and achieved, although working very hard too.
In 1978, Jo Mei and family emigrated to the USA and that was a big change for everyone, especially the kids. Jo Mei made the best of it and made it possible for the kids to thrive in a new country, especially with learning English. She would get up early to make sure kids’ lunches were made, take them to school and chauffeur them wherever they needed to go. In the end, her hard work paid as demonstrated by their career success and personal characters. Not only did they graduate from top schools, they are leaders in their own communities: Robert is a Gastrointestinal Specialist. Betty works for the State of Arizona and Charlie is a financial analyst.
Family aside, Jo Mei was a price-winning golfer as well. Although she did not learn to play it until later in life, she was a natural at it and took it upon herself to take lessons and practice whenever possible. She joined a local league and quickly she started winning prizes and trophies. She would get up early each morning just to go practice at the range. She loved her golf teams and will be missed dearly by her leagues. Besides golf, she loved playing Mahjong as well. It seems to come easily to her as she would win consistently. She also enjoyed traveling and has been to many countries including Taiwan, Japan, China, Europe, and many resorts in the USA.
In the mid-2014, tragedy hit when she was found to have lung cancer. Trusting the medical profession, she started receiving recommended treatments which at the end failed her. On Thanksgiving Eve of last year, she was rushed to the hospital. After that things were a roller coaster ride for her. Finally on March 21, in the morning, she left this world in peace.
Although she was in constant pain while undergoing chemotherapy treatment, Jo Mei was always protective of her kids and family. She did not want anyone to know or worry about her. She was always giving and self-less in many respects. During each step of her treatment, her son Robert, Charles and daughter Betty took turn visiting her in the hospital. Robert flew from the east coast each time a new treatment was introduced. Charlies would fly in from New York and Betty from Arizona. Whether she was aware or not, she was loved at every minute for she sacrificed much of her energy and time to family and friends. IT was only fair that her beloved children, sisters, daughter-in-law and sister-in-law’s were present with her during her ordeal.
She will be remembered by her husband Shue lee, son Robert, Charlie, and daughter Betty, daughter-in-law Motoko, and granddaughter Kristen, and her sisters Hwa-Mei, Yang-Mei, and all her relatives, and good friends. Her soul had done what it came here to do. Although the body is gone, her soul will live on forever. May she rest in peace forever.
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