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Irving Beilin Chang: A Memorial (1923-2017)People
Fall Volume: 2017 Issue: 24(3) page(s): 6
With sadness, we report the passing of Irving
Beilin Chang on February 4th, 2017. He and
his wife Wonona were wed sixty-two years,
and both were founders of this magazine with its editor
and others. This publication was
and still is the only English-language
Chinese food magazine, written and
published in the US, since 1994. At
age ninety-eight and on his last day
on earth, Irving did what he loved
most, he went swimming in the
morning, and for lunch ate what he
loved, dumplings. Only after both,
did he pass on. 
A memorial service was held at
the Wycliffe Presbyterian Church
in Virginia Beach, VA on March
10th and more than two hundred
relatives and friends attended. They
honored and celebrated his long
productive life. Among the many
things he accomplished were three
well-received Chinese cookbooks
written with is wife, every one of
them thorough and ahead of its
time. In 2014 and 2015, he wrote
another cookbook. Irving came to the US in 1947 for graduate school. He
received his MS in Chemical Engineering two years
later from Ohio State University, and then worked for
more than fifty years for Allied Chemical Corporation.
He lived in New Jersey and traveled the world solved
problems for this company. After retirement, he and
Wonona moved to Virginia Beach VA to be near their
son Amos and daughter-in-law Joan. He is survived by
three children and their spouses, seven grandchildren,
and six great-grandchildren; and he leaves them and
two of his sisters, Kay Wang and Margaret Ma. At the above memorial, his minister
shared with many family and
friends some highlights of his busy
life. These included passions for
cooking, eating, and writing about
Chinese food. Just last year he
published a new cookbook. Before
that, he wrote many articles about
this cuisine, this last one unique
and about foods along the Grand
Canal. These were places he visited
often, knew well, and did dine in
their restaurants and homes. This book was reviewed and touted
as ‘outstanding;’ it was one that
won two awards, one national, the
other international. This magazine
did review it, and you can check out
its review here and elsewhere. It is
listed on the Flavor and Fortune’s
web site. All these books show his
technical background and attention
to detail; all recipes in them work and taste terrific! Irving was special to his children, grandchildren,
relatives, friends, and colleagues. All have lasting and
loving memories of him, this editor included. All recall
many conversations about food and some were lucky
enough to remember cooking and eating with him. We
were blessed to know and love him; and all will miss
him! |
