Zhao Weiyang ("Wei Yang Chao")'s Obituary
Zhao Weiyang (“Wei Yang Chao”)–born on July 25, 1952, devoted husband, dear father of three, and beloved grandfather of two–passed away peacefully on March 9, 2019. He was an inspiration to many and was widely admired for his intelligence and strength to be unremitting in everything in life (career, family, and travel). Weiyang studied in his youth at Xi’an Foreign Language University, where he met his wife, Duan Ping. In 1981, they became one of the first students to move to the United States to study at the University of California, Berkeley, where Weiyang obtained a Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology. He later went to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study electrical engineering. After graduation, he served as a general manager in companies such as Microelectronics in the Silicon Valley.In 2000, Weiyang, Ping, and their three children moved to Beijing where Weiyang founded the first electronic chip and product design website in China’s semiconductor industry, ChinaECnet. In 2001, it launched an online seminar, which linked design and support personnel of Silicon Valley and global integrated circuit and other electronic components companies. At the same time, an online training functionality was launched through the business. The design products covered hundreds of consumer and industrial categories, and 330,000 online electronic engineers were registered.In 2015, Weiyang established the Zhao Weiyang Poverty Student Scholarship where he personally provided donations to primary students in poverty-stricken areas in China. The bursary donated 15 “Dr. Zhao Weiyang Libraries” to primary schools in 8 provinces located in remote or impoverished mountainous areas in China. It also provided “Dr. Zhao Weiyang’s Need-Based Student Bursaries” to students from 26 schools in poverty-stricken areas, including Qinghai, Ma Ying Town Ranch Primary School in Hainan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture and Datianba Town Primary School in Changning, Yunnan.He was awarded the Excellent Partner Award by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Enthusiastic Education Award from Guangdong Fushi Primary School. He is the author of the memoir titled “Red Fire: Growing Up During the Chinese Cultural Revolution.” In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Operation Smile–a charity his wife was passionate about. Please join us in celebrating Weiyang’s extraordinary life. The service will be held at 10:30am March 14, 2019 at Skylawn Memorial Park.
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