Dr. Cheng-Ti Judy Dai

Cheng-Ti was born on the 10th of March 1954, in Tainan, Taiwan. Her father was Yin-Ben Dai, an engineering professor, and her mother was Hui-Yu Dai, a high school teacher. She immigrated to the United States in 1965 and lived in Vicksburg, Mississippi and Chicago, Illinois. Despite not knowing any English when she first came to the US, just three years later she went on to become valedictorian of her junior high school. She received her AB degree in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1977, and from 1977 to 1978, she was enrolled in a nuclear engineering master’s program at MIT. She went to medical school at the McGill University Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences and earned her MD in 1982. She then went on to complete her residency in anesthesiology and fellowship in pain management. After completing her training, she ran her own private practice specializing in pain management for over 20 years, earning an excellent reputation for her ability to help thousands of patients manage their chronic pain. She also devoted much of her time to local and regional medical associations. She was an active member of the Chinese American Doctors Association of Houston and served as President from 2000 to 2001.

In addition to her professional accomplishments, she was a devoted wife, daughter, sister, and mother. On the 23rd of October 1982, she married Samuel Wu in Houston, Texas. Throughout their 38 years of marriage, they celebrated many fun memories together and mutually supported each others’ careers. They shared interests in culture, social justice, traveling, and gourmet food. Her parents moved in with her after she was married, and she was a devoted caretaker to them. She talked to her brother on the phone every week about their children and shared a mutual love of classical music and Chinese soap operas. She raised her daughters with exceptional care, ensuring they received the best education and opportunities. She was a great role model and mother, providing invaluable advice to her daughters on careers, life, and relationships, inspiring them with her resiliency and unwavering support.

Cheng-Ti loved to travel and went all over the world, including China, Italy, Dubai, France, Germany, Iceland, Russia, and even Antarctica. She had a keen interest in social justice, and in her free time she enjoyed studying world history, especially Chinese history. She was an avid fan of classical music and opera, and she enjoyed ballet and Impressionist art. Her many dear friends and family will remember her as someone with a goofy sense of humor, refined sense of style, and infallible knowledge on where to get the best pastries and ice cream.

She is survived by her husband, Samuel; her mother, Hui-Yu; her brother, Cheng-Ta; and her two children, Schonmei and Hanmei.

Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Friday, the 11th of September, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

The family gathered for a private in person funeral service on Saturday, the 12th of September, in the Jasek Chapel of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons.

Cheng-Ti’s family is setting up a foundation in her name, and details will be shared at a later date.