Joe once reminisced to me that he had established with Dr. Charles Boatwright to be his family physician shortly after Joe moved to Blacksburg in the 1960s. It was in Dr. Boatwright’s office on Church Street where I first met Joe and June in 1996, shortly after I had joined Dr. B’s medical practice. This was the beginning of a long and special friendship. Sadly, I never had the opportunity to get to know June well. Joe became my patient and we developed a strong patient-to-physician relationship. I appreciated the trust that he placed in me and his kind and thoughtful approach to life. I admired and respected his enthusiasm for architecture and his achievements at Virginia Tech. I think that we both realized early on that we shared a bond which extended beyond that of the usual doctor and his patient. Joe shared much about his enthusiasm for life, passion for music, enjoyment of travel, and most of all the delight that his children and grandchildren provided in his life. He spoke often of each, their accomplishments, and his visits with them.

As I transitioned through my medical career and eventually left outpatient care for full time inpatient work, I was honored that Joe continued to seek my counsel regarding his health. All of these exchanges were only a part of our conversations about life events and plans. I admired his great sense of humor, respect for others, and thoughtfulness. Joe and I would meet for a lunch or dinner, often at India Garden in Blacksburg. On a few occasions, Joe made sure to include my wife, Suzanne, for our special meals at Summit Restaurant in Christiansburg and the Sunday brunch buffet at Preston’s. We always had much to discuss, and he never seemed to lack for interests and activities which kept him involved in life, friendships, and family.

Joe was admired by the owners of Fahrenheit Coffee Roasters, a small family business in Mancos, Colorado near my home. We had begun exchanging gifts of coffee - Joe was by far the more generous giver - and he would telephone the owners, Matt and Linda, to arrange for coffee to be gifted to me. They have commented many times about Joe’s gentle, kind, and generous demeanor during those conversations.

Joe’s example taught me much about kindness, respect for others, and the true value of friendship. He will live on in many hearts, and mine and Suzanne’s will always be two of those!

07.17.24 I just learned that Professor Wang passed away on July 1st. This was a picture from 2019 taken on September 25th, 2019 my 50th Birthday. I was in Blacksburg for a visit and to do some recruiting for my company. I met up with Professor Wang at the Career Fair Social and then would have parted ways with the possibility of meeting up later on except that as I was walking away into the darkness I heard him calling my name and hustling my direction delighted to have realized that what better day and way to extend our reunion than to go out for dinner and celebrate my Birthday. We had a lovely evening that I will always cherish. The photo was taken by our waitress that evening. I am honored that he considered me to be a Friend and am grateful for having had the opportunity to know him and learn from him.

I was deeply saddened to learn of Joe's death.
  During my 36 years in Blacksburg, my late wife Sally and I had the privilege of knowing both Joe and June. Our daughter Kate was in school with their son Vincent and she also had June as a teacher who introduced her to typing.
  The Wang family was exceptionally gifted and contributed immensely to the community.. I will never forget Joe's friendly greetings whenever we met on campus, in town, or at concerts. It seemed that everyone was his special friend The world has lost an amazingly talented and engaging citizen. Bill Stephenson, Roanoke, VA

Not too long after we started at CKU in 1954, the four of us, your dad-王綽, John Shen- 沈約翰, Ta-Cheang Meng-孟大強, and I-夏建東 were nicknamed by our major architectural professor as the “Gang of Four” in our class simply because we got along well at the beginning and worked together in the classroom for long hours. Our friendship grew ever since.

In 1999, your dad initiated our 1959 class reunion which strengthened and broadened contacts between our classmates and even extended to next classes. I know your dad had frequent contacts with classmates and CKU schoolmates, particularly in US, such as Peggy Chang-La (阮盼青,) Howard Hsu (許希哲 passed in March,) Audrey Shen-NY (沈淑之,) John and Theresa Shen (沈約翰 & 許莊,) Janet Lu-CO (郑之華.)  

I learned your dad’s name (nickname 王倉倉) when I was in high school back in Taipei when he was famously noted in newspaper and radio as a prodigy when he played violin on stage to the public in Taipei. That photo is on display at the National Cultural Archive in Taipei, ROC.

In the first semester at CKU, your dad stayed off campus with family friend in Tainan, the 3 of us slept on floor in a large gym among other freshmen until two new dormitories were built near the end of the semester, slightly off campus. Later, your dad was assigned to a separate room from 3 of us, but in the same new dorm, each room had 4 bunker beds. Finally, four of us were able to stay in one room with 2 bunker beds for our senior year.

Your dad was famous and popular on campus, so he had many chances of making friends on “both” sides. During our junior year, Ta-Cheang’s uncle who worked at the National Petroleum Co. awarded us a project to design a new worker’s dormitory. That project not only gave us financial help but also the valuable experience of practicing our intended profession. It also did spread the name of “Gang of Four,” unintentionally. In the last semester of our senior year, your dad and I teamed up to work on a government sponsored nation-wide design completion for a housing project in Taipei. We worked really hard day and night, because we had to work on our graduation project on time also. 

After graduation, Tacheang left Taiwan to be with his biological mother in India, later to England, then settled in Singapore, now in London. The remaining three of us went to military service. Your dad and I were drafted to the Chinese Marine Corps in the same platoon for two years.

Shortly before we reported to the military base, we were notified that we won the top place of the competition on the category we participated.We barely had time to receive the award in person, so we had a photo taken in a commercial studio instead of going out to celebrate.

After the service, your dad was ready to leave for the US and John Shen followed soon. I waited until 1964. Your dad loaned me the security money to get the US visa, another classmate loaned me the transportation (a freighter) expense. I arrived in Chicago near the end of April,1964. I stayed in his apartment, got a job within days. I first met your mom in the apartment, I showed off my cooking of a dish called lion’s head (pork meat ball.) I remember your mom pretended not knowing how to speak Chinese, purposefully to push me to speak English which I was terrible (and still am.) When we were together in Chicago, every month he took my paycheck to deposit in my bank account, did not want me to spend until it was time for me to leave for KSU in middle of August. He even gave me a new package with a tube of toothpaste and a new brush. He was so caring and detailed. I can’t ever repay what he did for me. Oh, I can’t keep writing now.

The attached pictures are picked out from hundreds from my collections, including some your dad sent. I had also sent him most of the ones related with him. Hope some will fill in many scenes after I carried the toothpaste and brush to Manhattan, KS.

I am terribly sorry that I can’t attend the celebration of his life in person because my unpredictable heart conditions and frequent occurrences of vertigo recently. I have the lightheadedness as your dad had for a long time. I would like to get on a ZOOM only if you plan to set up one.

Sorry for the late response and the long mumbo jumbo. Please let me know if I can answer any question.

Wish you all are well and stay healthy

* We all miss him very much. I can imagine he and John Shen are looking over us.