Xiao Zhu Tan

Mom’s (XiaoZhu Tan) Life Story

            My mom, Xiao Zhu Tan, was born on 2/2/1936. Mom got married with my dad when she was 20 years old. My dad, MingZhen Li, died 20 years ago.  Mom has five daughters: JinZhi Li, ZhongZhi Li, MinZhi Li, JingZhi Li, and XuZhi Li; four son-in-laws: ShiKang Chan, SuiTang Li, Bruce Mah, and HanLiang Su; four grandkids: Jie Chen, Wei Li, Tonie Li, and Chelsea Wan; and three greatgrandchilden: Pakho Chan, Eva Tsui, and Jeffery Tsui.

            Mom grew up in a poor family; she was the 4th kid of the family. Mom knew that only education could change her life.  Thus, she studied hard.  She used 4 years to finish her high school and used 2 years to finish her accounting degree in an accounting institution. She worked for the government since then. Mom has worked supper hard and made her career successful. She was one of the leaders of Commerce Bureau, she helped many women get jobs and coordinated them to help balance their work life and family life.  Especially as a director of Women’s Federation, she pushed the government to open the first nursery around the area she lived in to help those women who needed to work but also need to take care of the kids. Mom also helped many of her colleagues to get better raises and live in better dormitories, as China provided dormitories to those who worked for the Chinese government years ago. Mom had a wonderful and successful career life in China and has many lovely friends that who received her help when she was in China.

            In 1990, Mom retired. Mom decided to bring her kids to US for a better future.  She applied to come to US through my aunt.  Thus, Mom, Dad, and I arrived in US in 1990.  Mom worked hard as salary maker for a plane company for the first 10 years after she came to the US. Then, she started to take care of my niece, Tonie, until she’s was 18.  Mom was a fighter her whole life. She fought for school, she fought for her career, she fought for her kids, and she fought for her sickness.  She had 3 strokes and she had a big car accident 7 years ago; all her left side were broken in the car accident, but she still used her willpower to fight to keep her life because she wanted to stay longer with us. In 2022, she became a Christian since she believed that God would look after her, comfort her, give her the peace, and help her take care of her generations.

            On February 10, 2023, mom rested in peace with God in Sutter Hospital. Mom is a great wife as she always put my dad first; Mom is an amazing mother because she put our needs as her first priority in her life; Mom is a wonderful grandma because she always gave her grandkids advice and gave them red envelopes; Mom is a good person because she always tries to help out those who need help. We love Mom and will keep her in our hearts forever!

Love,

JinZhi Li, ZhongZhi Li, MinZhi Li, JingZhi Li, XuZhi Li