From Chi-Hsin Richard and Lin-Shan King

Rufong and Barry’s mother 阿嬌 was a force of nature—and a central part of our cherished memories growing up in Cincinnati with the Taiwanese community.

Before our family moved to Cincinnati in 1978 for my new job at GE, they kindly offered me a place to stay in their home for over two months. That kind of generosity—and the big-brother-like support I felt—can never be forgotten.

We vividly remember her delicious dishes at potlucks, her graceful participation in Taiwanese cultural dance at the International Folk Festival, and the many times we spent at her home with her children.

One of our favorite memories was stopping by their house after Friday night family dinners. Even when we dropped in unannounced(?), she always welcomed us warmly—and somehow, there was always more food!

As time passed and the family relocated to New Jersey, we remained in touch, celebrating milestones like Rufong and Barry’s weddings. As always, Mrs. Cheng’s hospitality never wavered—her home was open, and her meals were unforgettable.

Though the years go by, the vivacity and vitality she brought to everything she did will stay with us forever.

The Hsu family (James, Juiyun, Karl, Jennifer)

Fellow countrymen:

We are most grateful to Dr. Zheng Xianzhang's wife, Ms. Chen Yingjiao, who passed away on June 15. Although they have moved away from Cincinnati for almost 30 years, the efforts they put in during the early stages of the establishment and growth of the Cincinnati Taiwan Association in the 1970s and 1980s are hard to describe! Especially in terms of financial accumulation!

Ah Jiao's spring rolls and merchandise sales at the International Folk Festivals were very popular. After three days of the weekend, she made a lot of money, and her good example earned her the nickname "Auntie Ah Jiao". No one dared to mess with her fellow countrymen who were assigned to work by her!

In the early years, Chinese restaurants were not common. During the New Year and other festivals, she would be the chef, instructing and distributing dishes to ask fellow villagers to work together. I remember there were Gua Bao, Taiwanese sausages, fried rice noodles, oily rice, meat dumplings, braised pork rice, braised eggs, scallion chicken... too many to mention, which soothed the taste buds of foreigners!

Her specialty is the skill of tailoring clothes! In the dance competition of the International Folk Festival, the Taiwanese costumes for boys, girls, women, and men were all designed and cut by her, and then she taught other female fellow villagers to sew together!

Her actions and every move aroused a great shock and amazement in my heart! Such a strong Taiwanese woman, silently contributing to Taiwan in a foreign country, is really touching! May she rest in peace!

Xincheng Taiwan Hometown Association (Written by Wei Miaogui)