Huifang Tao

Huifang (Jessica) Tao passed away peacefully early in the morning on April 21, 2022 at her home in Houston, Texas with her husband, daughters, and nephew at her side. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister Meifang Tao. She is survived by her husband of 34 years Xiangming Hua, daughters Lucia and Amanda Hua, sister Sufang Tao, and brother Changnian Tao.

Huifang was born to Yonggao Tao and Xiuying Zhu on November 1, 1960 in Shanghai, China. Smart and eager to learn since birth, Huifang excelled in academics and was a versatile and well-rounded student. She received her bachelor’s degree in physics with honors from Shanghai Normal University in 1983. Her career began as a physics teacher at the famous Shanghai Middle School. For her work in education, she was awarded the Shanghai Excellent Teacher Award multiple times and hosted the Shanghai Young Physics Teacher Open Competition TV broadcast. Because of her charisma and teaching style, she was respected and well-loved by her students, and she remained friends with many of her students throughout the duration of her life.

While in Shanghai, Huifang met the love of her life, Xiangming Hua. The two were introduced by friends and married in 1988. Together they had two daughters: Lucia, born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1996, and Amanda, born in London, Canada in 1999.

In 1989 the newly married couple emigrated to Stuttgart, Germany, where Huifang learned to speak German fluently and earned her Master of Science in Physics from the University of Stuttgart in 1996.

Huifang, Xiangming, and Lucia moved to London, Canada in 1997. With her talent for languages, Huifang quickly mastered English.

In 2001 the couple relocated to Cleveland, Ohio with their two young children. Soon after arriving, the family found fellow Chinese expat communities by attending church. In 2002 Huifang received Christ as her personal Lord and Savior and was baptized in Christ’s name. While in Ohio she worked in neuroscience research at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.

The family moved to Houston, Texas, and settled in the Clear Lake area in 2007. For most of her remaining life, Huifang worked at Baylor College of Medicine primarily in neuropsychiatric disease research. She was dedicated to her work, eventually promoted to laboratory manager and credited with authorship in multiple scientific journals including Nature. The family was actively involved at Clear Lake Chinese Church, where Huifang was a member of the choir. She loved the Lord and people deeply, encouraging many others in their faith.

In late 2017, Huifang and Xiangming received the opportunity to work in Huifang’s hometown of Shanghai, allowing both to fulfill dreams of world travel and to visit loved ones in their home country. Unfortunately, during their time there, a routine CT scan uncovered a mass in Huifang’s lung.

Huifang returned to Houston and upon being diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer in 2018, she started treatment under the care of many medical experts at MD Anderson. During her years of battling cancer, Huifang looked up to God and read the Bible often. She found time for new hobbies, such as watercolor, crochet, playing the guzheng, leading group fitness classes for her community, and cooking new things. She fought bravely and optimistically, continuing to be a light in the lives of her neighbors and fellow cancer patients by serving them, whether it was by driving them to doctor appointments, watching neighborhood children, introducing others to Jesus, or making them laugh.

We remember Huifang (Jessica) Tao as an open-minded, intellectual, compassionate, and faithful person. She treated others with sincerity and generosity. She is loved by many, and though we mourn her early departure, we will never forget her lively spirit and selfless nature.

A memorial service to honor Huifang’s life will be held at Forest Park East Funeral Home and Cemetery (21620 Gulf Fwy) on Sunday, May 1, 2022 at 2:00 pm with committal and reception to follow. Open casket visitation will be held 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm. In light of the ongoing pandemic, the family requests that service attendees wear masks and are fully vaccinated in order to protect our elderly and immunocompromised.

If you cannot attend in person, a virtual session of the service will be livestreamed from here starting at 2:00pm: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3915366841?pwd=UnE5WWxmeE94UEJhWHdFL2RTcElndz09

Funeral flowers can be ordered from Seabrook House of Flowers: https://www.seabrookflowershop.com/sympathy-flowers. Please mention Huifang/Jessica's name and Sunday's service at Forest Park East Funeral Home.

For donations, please consider giving to Light and Salt under Huifang (Jessica)'s name: https://luckyraindy.wixsite.com/website-2

Please share fond memories and expressions of sympathy below by lighting a candle and/or posting a photo message.

2022 年4月21日凌晨四時，陶慧芳（Jessica）在深愛她的丈夫、女兒和侄子的陪伴中，歇了在地上的工，卸下了世上的煩惱、優慮和痛苦，平安地離開了這個世界，在德州休斯敦家裡榮歸天家，被主接到衪的榮耀裡。享年61歲。

陶慧芳1960年11月1日生於中國上海市，在家中排行老三，自幼聰穎好學。 1979年，以優異成績被上海師範大學錄取，1983年獲物理學學士學位。畢業後她成了著名的上海中學的物理老師。她多次獲得上海市優秀教師獎，並曾主持上海市青年物理教師電視公開比賽。由於她的個人魅力和教學風格，深得班級學生的尊重和喜愛，是學生們的良師益友，至今一直保持著親密的聯繫。工作期間，遇到了她一生的摯愛華向明（Stephen）。二人1988年在上海結為秦晉之好，至今已恩愛攜手34年。她們夫妻育有兩個女兒Lucia和Amanda，分別出生在德國和加拿大。

1989她與丈夫一起搬去德國的斯圖加特市。她很快學會了德語，於1996年獲得斯圖加特大學物理理學碩士學位。她們夫妻和其他青年科學家一起曾受德國總統邀請去總統府作客。

1997年搬家到加拿大倫敦市，憑藉她在語言方面的天分，她能很快地又掌握了英語。 2000年初闔家搬到美國俄亥俄州的克利夫蘭市。到後不久全家人開始去華人教會，週日參加主日學和敬拜。慧芳在2002年接受主基督作為她個人的救主，受洗歸入主名下。工作上，她在克利夫蘭醫療基金會的實驗室從事神經科學研究，深得聘用教授的重用。

2007年舉家搬遷到德克薩斯州的休斯頓市，定居明湖地區。她在貝勒醫療中心的實驗室工作十餘年。她十分敬業且忠誠，與同事合作研究，在包括《自然》以內的多種科學雜誌上發表論文數篇。她手巧聰明，做出的實驗結果連教授、博士都為之感嘆。多次晉升，後被晉升為實驗室主管。加入明湖中國教會後，更加積極在教會事奉。她是詩班成員，用她甜美的歌喉讚美主。她愛主愛人，積極鼓勵和引領朋友、同事、和鄰居到教會來。多年來用自己的美好見證感動了許多人。

2017年下半年因丈夫被公司派去上海工作，慧芳與丈夫圓了繞地球一圈,回故鄉看看的夢。然而天有不測風雲，次年夏天一次例行查體中卻發現肺部有腫瘤。回到休斯敦後開始了在MD Anderson的診斷和治療。在與病魔抗爭的日子裡，她仰望神，積極堅強地配合醫生治療，熱情樂觀地生活。她培養了新愛好，學會了水彩畫、針織、古箏、烹飪， 並且組織了小區健身活動。慧芳幾年來一直堅持晨讀靈修，每天聆聽主的話語。她還開車幫助其他癌症病人，有機會還帶他們去教會，傳福音，給他們帶去了很多的歡笑。

慧芳是一位美麗而慈愛的妻子和母親。她將對主的信仰和愛牢記在心，並付諸行動。她非常重視教育，並為此做好各種保障，激勵孩子們勤奮學習。今天，倆個女兒都已優異的成績從大學畢業，並各自有了自己心愛的職業。感謝神！

慧芳知理知性，重情重義，對朋友以誠相待，慷慨大方。一有時間，她堅持與福音朋友分享她的信仰，並向他們傳揚神對他們的愛。她深受許多人的喜愛，我們會永遠銘記她開朗的笑容和無私的心。

紀念陶慧芳追思禮拜將在Forest Park East Funeral Home and Cemetery舉行（地址：21620 Gulf Fwy, Wester, TX 77598)，時間是2022年5月1日（星期日）下午2：00 點。瞻仰儀容的時間是從中午12：00 點到下午2：00 點。因為疫情我們希望大家在追思會佩戴口罩保護長者和免疫缺陷者。

若您不能親臨現場參加，您可以使用下面的連接進入直播間：https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3915366841?pwd=UnE5WWxmeE94UEJhWHdFL2RTcElndz09 或者使用會議 ID 391 536 6841 進入，密碼是 123456 （網站：zoom.com/join）。

可以从 Seabrook House of Flowers 订花：https://www.seabrookflowershop.com/sympathy-flowers。 请告知花店慧芳/Jessica的名字和周日在Forest Park East的葬礼。

若您願意獻上愛心捐款，請以陶慧芳（英文名：Jessica Tao）的名義捐贈給光鹽社。中文網站：http://light-salt.org/ 表達您的愛心。謝謝您！

您可以透過點燃蠟燭或分享照片的形式表達您對陶慧芳的美好回憶、思念，以及對家人的安慰。