My friendship with Andy dated back to 1942
YES, 1942…75 years ago!

My father founded the Bank of East Asia in Hong Kong and was the president.  The bank had a branch in Shanghai where Andy’s father, Mr. Ling Man Lai was the Manager. 

During the Japanese occupation in Hong Kong in 1942, all the schools were closed and my father sent me and my brother, Henry, to Shanghai to continue our education at St. Johns University.  We were under the care of Andy’s father.  We lived with the Ling family, Mr. and Mrs. Ling and their two daughters and three sons in the Penthouse apartment at the Bank building.  Andy was the youngest in his family, and I am the youngest of mine.  We became very much attached to each other like brothers. 

In 1947, I returned to Hong Kong.  I was admitted to the University of Pennsylvania and Andy was admitted to MIT.  We both took a slow boat, the “General Meigs” to the USA.  It took 15 days. 

Although we were far apart at school, we continued to communicate by telephone.  We both joined the FF Fraternity and attended functions together.  During our days in the US, Andy, David Lam and I frequently drove to see the historical sights on long weekends and term breaks. 

We went to Niagara Falls and enjoyed getting to the bottom part wearing protective coats to face the heavy falling water.  One summer we went to College Camp in Wisconsin to work as waiters.  We enjoyed meeting new friends.  In fact, David, Fuhsi, Andy, Ginger & I attended the 50th year’s reunion of the College Camp.  We had so much fun together which reminded us of the good old days.

When I completed my MBA at the Wharton School in the University of Pennsylvania, I went back to Hong Kong for fourteen years and brought my family to settle down in Los Angeles in 1963.  Andy, Fuhsi and family also moved to Los Angeles to the Palos Verdes area.  Although we lived far from each other in LA, we tried to get together as much as we could, attending social functions especially with FF.  We also enjoyed taking ocean cruises which was relaxing and gave us time to communicate. 

Andy was always very active in our FF functions and always led us in singing the FF song as well as in starting the traditional FF Conga line dance.  Ginger and I most appreciated when Andy took the initiative to lead the FF brothers in singing for us at our 60th wedding anniversary party in 2017. 

Andy and Fuhsi were blessed to have their two children, Van Van and Leona. 

Andy and Fuhsi will be missed.  We are thankful that God had United them together with eternal Peace of Life.  Both Fuhsi and Andy were persons with good nature, kind hearts, and intelligence and they were easy to get along with.  Fuhsi was a designer.  She designed and built their home in Palos Verdes with a commanding view.  Fuhsi was also a good ballroom dancer and earned a lot of trophies.

 We will miss them.  We are gathered here to celebrate their lives and their achievements.  Let’s not be sad, but be thankful and joyful for the good times that we shared together.

I would like to close by quoting a passage from the Bible.
“He will swallow up dead in victory forever to comfort those who mourn.  The Lord is good to those who wait for Him for the souls of the righteous are in the hands of God.  Each will know that his or her Redeemer lives.”  Second Book of Revelations Ch. 7, verse 11

Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength to our God ever and ever.

The following was presented at Andy and Fuhsi's Memorial Life Celebration March 2017.

  Hello. My name is Rita and I am the granddaughter of Andy and Fushi Ling. As I stand here in this room I am surrounded by the fortunate people who have had the honor to have known the wonderful personalities of my grandparents.    We have all seen them through different eyes. Some of you may know them as a sister, brother, mother, father, dancer, friend, mahjong player, or much more.    For me, they were not only my grandparents, but also role models .  I am proud to be a descendent of two immigrants from such a rich culture. Two people with an amazing work ethic that braved their way through war, school, and parenting. For me, in college, I try to have that vigor, although it's hard to beat.   I like to go to social dances, and I like to imagine my grandma and how beautifully she danced, and hope that she is proud that I strive to have her skill.    And if I find myself trying to skip a gym day, I think of how active and sociable my grandpa was, even in his old age, and I reach towards that goal of an active heart and an active mind.    My younger brother will tell you, through his eyes, how he sees the presence and passing of Andy and Fushi Ling, and that their residue of influence will not be forgotten.

Good afternoon for those of you who don't know me I am Will Stevens, and I am honestly very sad that I stand before you today in the reality that I have lost both of my only grandparents at such short notice. Being the one of two children in the entire family of this generation, my grandparents made sure they passed down many different lessons and knowledge to Rita and I. My grandparents always made sure that we chose our own paths in life and made sure that we were to grow bright, intelligent and successful. They wanted us to learn the lessons from history and make sure they are not forgotten. I remember my grandfather telling me that I could be whatever I wanted as long as I did the best at it and my grandmother telling me to keep moving forward in life regardless of the frustrations and obstacles and not let other people get in our way or tell us how to do our jobs. I'm currently an Infantry officer candidate in the United States Marine Corps, I was going to wear my uniform today but my mom wouldn't let me. This is a career that is very far from what anyone in this family has ever even considered before but both my grandparents supported my fully on this path as long as I worked my hardest at it. I find that I use the lessons they taught me in both the Corps and School. Through times of hardship and happiness. Before I left for Arizona Andy told me to make sure that I go out and talk to everyone at my school and build strong friendships with them. This is something that I always witnessed in him whenever he would meet new people in new places wherever he went. He even at times tried to give me relationship advice, he told me that I was the next person to receive the heirloom engagement ring that he had and told me to use it very wisely as it has been in the family for generations and I should use it for someone who I know I will stay with. My grandmother always wanted me to make sure I stuck to my studies and education as much as I could she didn't even want me to come see her before she passed insisting I stuck with my studies. But she also wanted to make sure that we enjoyed our lives and lived long and healthy. I am going to miss coming to their house in the summer and running up and down the stairs that I had been since I was little and hearing their interesting stories of their past and their perspectives on historical events they lived through from the streets of Shanghai during the Sino-Japanese war, to Peron era Argentina to 77 Mass Ave to The hills of Palos Verdes they lived a long and happy life. As one of very few representatives of a new generation I will take on the responsibility to carry on their legacy and the lessons they had to teach us and most importantly the last thing they taught me, to make my own lessons to teach my children and my children's children and create a legacy for myself.