Birth date: Dec 11, 1968 Death date: Dec 9, 2025
Wen-Jie Zhou, beloved wife and mother, passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with cancer on December 9, 2025, at the age of 56. She was born on December 11, 1968, in Shanghai, China, and devoted her life to her family. Read Obituary
Sending heartfelt sympathy to Tony, Alexandra and Wenjies parents. Although Wenjie has passed, her love, generosity, and influence will remain, and she continue to shine her light. May our prayers guide you to strength and peace.
初识文婕，是在1981年9月，我们一起进了初中一年级三班。 记得那天文婕大声问我的名字，我说是我，她直截了当地说她想看看是哪个同学最近的一次英文测验比她多拿了一分，因为她一直为她的出色英文而骄傲， 所以有个语法要和我讨论。 我当时被她的执着吓坏了，英文测验我纯粹是连猜带蒙的。但由于她的执着， 从此我居然和她这个全班英文第一的好学生成了朋友。
98年我移居多伦多。 文婕是第一个从美国来看我的中学同学。她来看了我在多大附近住的简陋的宿舍， 鼓励我说她刚刚出国的时候也有一段艰难的日子，只要努力以后一定会好起来的。 我问起她以前有段时间把名字改Wennie, 现在为什么又叫回Wen-jie了, 她说我们应该有自己的identity, 有自己的lineages。 所以她决定她的名字永远会是文婕。
最后一次见文婕是2015年的西雅图中学同学聚会。 文婕带她的女儿Alex 一起来。 Alex比我女儿平平大一岁，文婕主动照看起平平来，让两个女孩一起玩，还教育Alex要谦让平平。
之后有好几次我们都说我们会去加州，或者她会来多伦多，2023 年我们相约黄刀聚会，但终于因为天灾没有再见一面。
在我心里，文婕是很有教养，聪慧， 美丽，情商很高的女人。 她有她的温柔，也有她的坚韧。她传承了中国人的谦逊孝顺，也学会了欧美人的开放包容 。 她是一个好女儿，一个好太太，一个好妈妈，一个好朋友。 我曾经开玩笑说她就是有做QA的天赋， 因为做任何事，她都有她的quality.
文婕，我们会记住你如夏花般绚烂的笑容，如秋叶般静美的人生。 感谢你，在我们的生命中留下的印记。
I first met Wen-jie in September 1981, when we entered the same class in the first year of junior high school. I remember that day Wen-jie asked the whole class my name, and when I said it was me, she bluntly said she wanted to see which classmate had scored one point higher than her on the most recent English test, because she was always proud of her excellent English and wanted to discuss a grammar point with me. I was taken aback by her persistence; I had purely guessed on the English test. But because of her persistence, I actually became friends with this top student in the class, who was first in English.
In 1998, I moved to Toronto. Wen-jie was the first high school classmate from the United States to visit me. She visited my simple dormitory near the University of Toronto and encouraged me, saying that she also had a difficult time when she first went abroad, and that things would definitely get better with hard work. I asked her why after changed her name to Wennie for a while, now she called herself Wen-jie again. She said we should have our own identity and our own lineages. So she decided that her name would always be Wenjie.
The last time I saw Wen-jie was at a high school reunion in Seattle in 2015. Wenjie brought her daughter Alex along. Alex is a year older than my daughter Serene, and Wen-jie took the initiative to look after Serene, letting the two girls play together and teaching Alex to be a big sister of Serene.
Afterwards, we talked several times of me going to California, or her coming to Toronto. We even planned a reunion in Yellowknife in 2023, but unfortunately, the natural disaster prevented us from seeing each other again.
In my heart, Wen-jie is a very well-mannered, smart , beautiful woman with high emotional intelligence. She has her gentleness and her resilience. She inherited the humility and loyalty of the Chinese people and also learned the openness and tolerance of Westerners. She is a good daughter, a good wife, a good mother, and a good friend. I once joked that she has a natural talent for QA because she brings quality to everything she does.
Wen-jie, we will remember your radiant smile, like summer flowers, and your serene life, like autumn leaves. Thank you for the mark you have left on our lives.
Zenith
Wen-Jie was a kind and cheerful colleague, always ready to help and give a word of support and encouragement. She was a regular on our casual lunch hour at work, where many topics were discussed, but a certain topic from Wen-Jie was Alexandra's studies and accomplishments. She was extremely proud and loving of her daughter. May Wen-Jie's delicate smile, warm voice, and kind embrace, stay forever with Alexandra and guide her and fortify her on her journey!
Dear Tony and Alexandra
Our hearts ache for you and your family. Wen-Jie had a vivacious spirit, a brilliant smile, and a gleam in her eyes that reflected her warmth and joy. She was such a gracious and caring neighbor who shared laughter freely, welcomed everyone with genuine kindness, and delighted us with her sensational Chinese cooking, served with a favorite vino. Those gifts will live on in all who were fortunate enough to know her, and she will be greatly missed.
We will honor her memory with the suggested donation to the Foundation for Women’s Cancer, and will join you tomorrow to celebrate her life. May it help rest your sorrows by knowing her legacy lives on through her family, her awesome stories, and the countless hearts she touched — including our own, and we’re here to help you in any way needed.
With love,
Andrea and Don
