Tzu-Suan Chu

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Tzu-Suan Chu, a remarkable mother, grandmother, and matriarch, who left us on Sunday, February 23, 2025, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Born on July 4, 1928, in Shandong, China, to Qu Fa-Shu and Yang Shu-Shen, Tzu-Suan lived an extraordinary life that spanned nearly a century. She was the second eldest of seven siblings-six sisters and one brother-and grew up near Yantai with her large, close-knit family. Always a wonderful storyteller, she passed down vivid tales of her happy childhood, filled with adventures at the family farm and swimming in the Yellow Sea with her sisters and cousins.

Despite the hardships and daily privations of life in war-torn China, her parents nourished her curiosity and love of learning. They made sure that she and her siblings continued their education even when they were forced to flee their family home at the height of Japanese occupation and the Chinese Civil War. In 1947, at 19, Tzu-Suan left China to pursue her education at the National Taiwan University in Taipei. This life-altering experience led to her heart-wrenching separation from her family in China for almost 40 years.

Tzu-Suan earned her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture in 1951, one of only a few women in her graduating class. It was during her studies that she met a fellow student and her future husband, Mel Chih-Yu Chu. Like Tzu-Suan, Mel left behind his family and life in China to find better opportunities in Taiwan. They bonded over their deep love of learning and married in Taipei in 1952, creating a loving home for their sons Dahwey and Dahtzen.

In 1958, Mel moved to the United States to further his studies at the University of New Hampshire, and Tzu-Suan stayed behind in Taiwan for three years, teaching elementary school and raising their sons. A passionate and dedicated biology teacher, Tzu-Suan touched the lives of her students, some of whom continued to keep in touch with her for many years even after she moved to the United States. The family was reunited in Wisconsin in 1961, where Mel worked at a biological company in Ripon. Shortly after, they moved to Champaign-Urbana where Mel pursued his doctoral studies in horticulture at the University of Illinois. In this new home, they put down their roots and raised their family, which grew with the arrival of Dahmin and Dahlon.

At 42, Tzu-Suan embarked on a new academic journey, earning a Master of Science in Plant Pathology from the University of Illinois in 1974. She spent over 20 years working at the Illinois Natural History Survey, where her research contributed significantly to the field of plant pathology. All the while, she remained devoted to her family and consistently emphasized the importance of education to ensure that her children had opportunities that she herself did not have.

In her 50+ years of living in Champaign-Urbana, Tzu-Suan created a wonderful community for herself and her family, forging life-long friendships with other expat Chinese families and ensuring that her children never lost touch with their Chinese heritage. Despite her long separation from her family, Tzu-Suan always found ways to remain connected with her mother and sisters, and in the 1980s, she was finally able to go back to China to visit them. Even after the unexpected loss of her beloved Mel in a car accident in 1995, Tzu-Suan continued to live an active, fulfilling life, traveling extensively around the world, visiting her grandchildren, bringing along her recipes for delicious baked goods and riveting stories.

As her health began to decline, Tzu-Suan moved to Albuquerque in 2017, where she spent the last eight and a half years of her life surrounded by the love and care of her family. Even in her later years, she remained as vibrant and curious about the world as ever, reciting Tang poetry daily to keep her mind sharp, staying up-to-date on current events, and keeping in touch with her extensive network of friends and family. Through the final days of her life she was very mindful of what she ate and exercised daily, serving as a model for all of us.

Tzu-Suan lived with grace, generosity, and beauty. She has passed down her appreciation for flowers (especially peonies), learning, baking, and poetry, and her legacy lives on in all those who loved her. She is survived by her four sons: Dahwey Chu (Pei-Pei Chu), Dahtzen Chu (Anna Tsai), Dahmin Chu (Grace Chu), and Dahlon Chu (Linda Bay Chu), each of whom carries a piece of her spirit. Her grandchildren, Jennifer, Stephanie (Dave Kaneshiro), Emily (Greg Kohlburn), Aileen, Tyler, Hayden, Andrew, and Stephen Chu, will forever feel the warmth of her love in their hearts. She is also survived by her dear sisters in China: Qu Ziyan, Qu Zixun, Qu Zimei, and Qu Yiyan, as well as countless other relatives and friends whose lives she touched in profound and beautiful ways. Her memory will be forever cherished by all who knew her.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, May 16, 2025 at Saint John XXIII Catholic Community, 4831 Tramway Ridge Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111, a funeral Mass at 10:00 am, and a eulogy will be said after the Mass. A reception will follow at the Parish Hall.