Artistic, Playful, and Utterly Unique Katie Tzou, born KungWen Chow (周崑文) on September 19, 1931 in Fuzhou, China, was the second of six children. She had an older brother, a younger brother and three younger sisters. Towards the end of the Chinese Revolution, Katie brought her younger brother, sister, and cousin on the last flight out of Fuzhou to her parents who had migrated to Hong Kong. There she continued her education and would later meet her future husband, Lawrence who had also moved to Hong Kong in 1950. They started dating a few months after his arrival.
Katie and Lawrence got married on August 29, 1955 and in 1964 immigrated to the US. They took up residence in New York City because Lawrence got a shore-based position there in the shipping company where he used to be a ship captain. Their daughter, Charleen was born in 1965.
Katie and Lawrence moved to Greenwich, CT in 1972 when the company’s headquarters moved from NYC. She remained a devoted homemaker and raised Charleen to become a wonderful and independent young woman. Katie had many interests and talents, among them a love for musicals. She shared this passion with her daughter and they frequently enjoyed watching Broadway shows. As an active community member, she participated in volunteer work as well as played tennis and bowled. Some of her many pursuits included co-founding both the Chinese Association of Fairfield County and Chinese language school in Stamford, CT and teaching cooking classes at the YWCA.
Her warmth and dedication provided her 3 grandchildren with a wonderful and enriching environment in which they could thrive. She helped them become the marvelous young ladies and gentleman they are today and was a constant presence in their lives, from taking them out to luncheons, attending swimming lessons, and participating in school events. She made them everything from beautifully artistic birthday cakes to clothes. Katie picked her grandchildren up every day after school, taught them Chinese songs in the car, and made them snacks when they got home. She was a loving calming influence in their lives.
Katie’s kindness and loving personality touched everyone around her. She was creatively gifted and her attention to detail made her an exceptional hostess, bringing together people from all walks of life. After Lawrence retired, they traveled around the world. One of her favorite ways to travel was cruising and she went on many trips with her family and friends.
These are some of the indelible memories that we share of Katie. The last few years have been difficult due to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease and she departed on December 15, 2018. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Lawrence; her daughter, Charleen; her grandchildren, Caitlyn, Brittany and Harrison; grandson-in-law, François; her brother and sister-in-law, Walter and Jane; brother and sister-in-law, Ken and Helen; brothers-in-law, Kam and Peter; and loving nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. She was predeceased by her sisters, Mimi and Liz. Her nurturing, kind, and joyful spirit will be greatly missed.
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