每日评论1226 告別華裔作家姚嘉為

告別華裔作家姚嘉為

上週接到美南作家協會會長也是美南新聞副社長的秦鴻鈞女士來電告知姚嘉為女士去世之消息,我們都感到非常突然和悲傷,我還和妻說我們不是不久前還和她見過面嗎? 人生無常，我請同仁為她刊出訃文並在報上哀悼,表示對這位老友之一份心意。

在此同時,我也立即向好友國會議員格林及市長恵特曼辦公室轉告此一喪訊,並告知姚女士是我們華裔社區著名作家,曾經擔任華人作家協會會長,熱心公益。她的著作曾獲得海內外許多文學大獎. 經格林議員之交待要我代表他參加了二0二四年十二月二十二日之喪禮,並將一幅曾經在國會山莊飄揚過的美國國旗致贈給其夫婿傅依健教授，表揚她對華裔世界及社區之卓越貢獻。

記得多年前在一個寒冬清晨,我和石麗東女士及已故之譚家瑜女士從休斯敦前往紐約參加了由新聞界前輩馬克任主持之全美華人作家協會之成立大會,回來後召集了多位友人共同成立了美南作家協會,多年來美南新聞也為協會之發展和壯大盡力,秦鴻鈞副社長曾經多次出任作協會長貢獻良。

姚女士在她 “在味蕾中還鄉-纪念先父姚滌民” 曾經寫到她父親參加抗日戰爭穿越野人山，参加遠征軍前往緬甸救援英軍之故事，犧牲了無數國軍同袍之生命,她的描述許多都是我父母逃難時之情景,也就是我的故鄉雲南保山龍陵之血浴戰場。

姚嘉為女士從台灣來到美國,從年青歲月開始在此打拼,學業家庭之𠎀出表現是一代留學生之表率,我們也要感謝這塊土地給予我們具有追求夢想之機會,同様的是她對我們華裔族裔社區和國家之奉獻,是永恆不變。作為新聞媒體之工作者,我們得到諸如姚女士之支持及無數讀者觀眾之關懐，使美南新聞繼續䇄立在美洲大陸，繼續為華人記錄歷史。

Farewell To The Famous Chinese Writer Chai-Wei Yao Foo

Last week we received a call from our Vice President Christina Chin. She is also President of the Texas Chinese Writers Association and she informed us that Mrs. Chai-Wei Yao Foo had passed away. We all felt very shocked and saddened. 

I reminded my wife that we had met with her not too very long ago. 

Life is impermanent. I asked my colleagues to publish an obituary for her and mourn her in our daily newspaper to express our deep affection for this old friend.

At the same time, I also immediately passed the news to our dear friend Congressman Al Green and to Mayor Whitmire‘s office, and informed them that Mrs. Foo is a very famous writer in our  community. Congressman Al Green asked to attend the funeral and present an American flag that once had flown over Capitol Hill in DC in order to recognize and praise her for her lifelong outstanding contribution to the Chinese - American community and to the world.

I remember that many years ago on a very cold winter morning, I was accompanied by Ms. Ling- Tung Shi and Helen Chang and we went to New York to attend the first Convention of the  National Chinese- American Writers Association. After the meeting, we came back to Houston and organized the Chinese-American writers Association in Texas. Since then, our Vice President of Southern News Group has continued to support the association.

Mrs. Chai-Wei Yao Foo once wrote about her father’s participation in the anti-Japanese war and the crossing of a wild mountain to join the expeditionary army in Myanmar to rescue the British soldiers. Many of her descriptions are scenes very similar to those of my parents’ escape, that is, from my hometown of Longlin in Yunan, China.

Chai-Wei Yao Foo came to the United States from Taiwan when she was at a young age. Her academic work and performance is an example of a generation of international students. 

Her dedication to our community and country is eternal. Today with her faithful support and the support of so many of our readers and audiences, Southern News Group will continue to stand in this continent.