For my father in law

We are deeply saddened to share the death of my dear father in-law, Ye Xinren. He passed away on the afternoon of December 28 in his hometown of Shanghai. His condition has been weakening over the last few years, and he didn’t have the strength to fight off covid when finally exposed. He was at home with his loving and caring wife of 50 years by his side.

He lived his 84 years as the definition of a great man. He was kind to the core, generous, always mindful of others, and willing to do anything to help his friends and family. A gentle soul who loved his two grandchildren more than words can express. He was a great father, husband, brother, uncle, and grandfather. His family was supremely lucky to have him in our lives.

He loved classical music and it brought him so much joy through his life- most especially in his final years when he lost his sight. The simple pleasure of sitting in the sunshine and listening to his longtime friends Bach, Chopin, Mendelssohn, and Rachmaninov brought him great enjoyment.

He saw many changes in China during his life from war, famine, political unrest, and then finally times of peace and prosperity in his later years. He attended Jiaotong university where he trained to be a hydraulic engineer, and spent many decades building the railway locomotives that were the backbone of China’s industrialization. He married his beautiful bride in February 1972 at the same time that Richard Nixon made his historic visit to China. We celebrated their 50th anniversary this past year by taking them for a studio wedding photo shoot that they didn’t have the opportunity to take as newlyweds.

His kind and generous soul will be missed by many family, friends, neighbors and all those who had the privilege to cross his path.

Melanie