Ming Ying LI

李名英 1923.12.02-2023.09.29

李名英於1923年12月2日出生於中國上海，於2023年9月29日在加拿大溫哥華女兒家中平靜，安詳地逝世，享年近100歲。李名英的夫人姚健民先他而去。他生後留下兒子李維鈞、女兒李維珍、女婿黃志麟、外孫黃偉龍、外孫女黃偉妮和哈怡。他的哥哥李名通和李名義走在他之前。

李名英降生在上海一個家境頗為殷實的家庭里。青年時代的李名英英俊瀟灑，他在教會學校受過良好的西方式教育。正值他要上大學之際，第二次世界大戰爆發了，李名英選擇了參加空軍來保家衛國，他被送往美國亞利桑那州的威廉空軍基地受訓。培訓結束後，李明應駕駛著艾芙羅·萊卡斯特號轟炸機，與美國空軍的同僚們並肩作戰，在遠東投入了抗日戰爭。

二戰結束後，李名英在美國作短暫逗留至1948年。在共產黨從國民黨手中接管中國成立中華人民共和國之前夕，他選擇回上海照顧父母。他的兄弟此時都已離開了大陸。但是因為他曾是中華民國空軍的一員，他在1949年後未能逃脫像他的不少同胞所遭受的相同厄運。他被貶到一家玩具工廠去設計玩具飛機。在「無產階級文化大革命」的年代里，他被罰做苦力，當裝卸工。但是他在精神上從未被打倒打垮過。他對自己在二戰期間能直接參與為和平重新回歸人類而做出貢獻，感到欣慰、自豪。

在1989年，李名英決定移民加拿大，到溫哥華與女兒一起生活。女兒、女婿熱誠的歡迎他的到來。當他的外孫、外孫女出生之後，他享盡天倫之樂。他樂此不疲地幫著女兒、女婿照應他/她們。外孫、外孫女成了他晚年的樂趣和驕傲。他在女兒家中一直居住到去世。他的這兩位外孫、外孫女將會永遠銘記他/她們的「公公」。

李名英是位非常和善、溫和、厚道、仁慈的人。他為人低調，平易近人，為人著想。他年輕時還是位善於社交的「樂天派」，愛好跳交誼舞、唱民歌。他一生深受他的家人親屬、親朋好友、以及所有曾經與他有過交往的人的愛戴。這種愛不會因為他的謝世而消失。他們會永遠緬懷他、思念他。

願李名英安息！

Ming Ying LI – 1923.12.02-2023.9.29

Ming Ying LI, born in Shanghai, China on December 2, 1923, passed away peacefully at home in Vancouver, Canada on September 29, 2023 while surrounded by his daughter’s family. He was two months shy of being 100 years old. Ming Ying LI was predeceased by his wife Jiang Ming (Jinny) YAO and survived by his son Wei Jun LI, daughter Vivian LI HWANG, son-in-law Philip HWANG, grandson Brian HWANG, granddaughters Jessica HWANG and Yi HA. He outlived his two siblings, his older brother Ming Tong LI and his younger brother Ming Yi LI.

Ming Ying LI was born into an affluent family in Shanghai. At youth, he received western education in missionary schools. He led a carefree life with his brothers and his cousins. But as he was preparing to enter university, the Second World War broke out. Instead, he joined the air force. He was sent to the United States to be trained at Williams Air Force Base in Mesa, Arizona. Subsequently, he was flying Avro Lancaster bombers side by side with the USAF pilots in the Far East against Japanese invasion and aggression.

After the Second World War, he remained in the United States until 1948. On the eve of the Communist Party taking over control in Mainland China from the Nationalist Party and establishing the People’s Republic of China, he chose to return to his hometown of Shanghai to look after his parents since both of his brothers had left China. Because he once served as a member of the air force of Republic of China, he suffered the same terrible fate as many of his fellow countrymen did after 1949. He was sent to a toy factory to design toy planes. During the notorious Cultural Revolution, he was further demoted to be a laborer. However, his spirit was never broken. He remained proud of his direct contribution to the restoration of peace during the Second World War.

In 1989, he immigrated to Canada to join his daughter in Vancouver. His daughter and son-in-law welcomed him with open arms and open hearts. When the two grandchildren were born, he enjoyed spending time with them and looking after them. They became his pride and joy in his later years. He stayed with his daughter’s family till the end. His grandchildren will forever remember their beloved “Gong Gong” (grandpa).

Ming Ying LI was a gentle soul. He was very kind, caring, patient, fair-minded and easy-going. He was handsome, and quite sociable and outgoing in his younger days. He was a good ballroom dancer and western folk song singer. He was loved by his family, relatives, friends, and all those who had met him at some point during his life. Their love for him will neither cease nor diminish with his passing. They will all miss him.

May Ming Ying LI rest in peace.