Yi Wen Zhu was born in Shanghai on June 7, 1930 to his father, Zhu An Sheng, and his mother, Wu Cai Yun. He passed away in his sleep at the age of 89 due to his battle with Lymphoma on Friday, June 21, 2019. He was surrounded by his children, Yi and Ran Zhu, and his wife, Xue Rong Yi, until the end. He will rest alongside his younger sister in Shanghai.
He was the oldest among his siblings, Yi Ping and Yi Feng. As a young man, Yi Wen was very athletic and was known for his talents in swimming and diving, soccer, and boxing. However, his talents weren't limited to athletics. He was well known for his bonsai trees and was interviewed by a Shanghainese television broadcasting company after his retirement. He was a romantic who loved Western movies and jazz music and didn't care that they were prohibited during the Communist Revolution. Yi Wen graduated from Shanghai University in the year of 1952 where he earned a Bachelor of Economics. After he graduated, he spent many years as a high school teacher. It was during those years he met his wife, Xue Rong Yi, in a coffee shop in 1958. They got married in 1959 and stayed happily married for 60 years. In fact, Yi Wen would talk openly to his family of his love and care for his wife well into his older years. Yi Wen and his wife gave birth to their only son, Yi Zhu, in 1960, and their only daughter, Ran Zhu, in 1961. After the Communist party opened China's doors, Yi Wen and his wife followed their children to Ottawa, Canada in 1996, where he remained until his death. Yi Wen was known for his big personality and big heart. He was a loving father, husband, and grandfather who was always the first to lead the family to the finest restaurants no matter the cost. He will be remembered for his immense generosity, witty humor, big laughs, his natural ability to cook extravagant and delicious meals, and his larger than life hospitality. Yi Wen's greatest joy in life was sharing good things with those he loved. Yi Wen was an extraordinary man who will be missed greatly by his family and those who knew him.
He is survived by his wife, Xue Rong Yi, his son and daughter, Yi and Ran Zhu, his sister, Yi Ping, and his grandchildren, Melissa and Brandon Zhu and Kelsey Jiang. Along with his son-in-law and his daughter-in-law, Jiang Jing Wen and Holly Chen.
Burial Date:
June 27, 2019