趙小蘭母親朱木蘭病逝 (轉載自世界日報﹐請看本頁底部)

Statement by United States Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao

On the Passing of Her Beloved Mother Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, August 2, 2007

My father, Dr. James S. C. Chao, family and I are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Ruth Mulan Chu Chao, devoted wife, treasured mother, precious grandmother, philanthropist and Asian scholar.  Words cannot express our grief at the passing of this anchor person in our lives. 

Not many people know that my mother was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes at the same time that the President announced my nomination as the United States Secretary of Labor.   

For seven long years, she has fought this disease valiantly with courage, optimism and relentlessness.  Each time, the disease has come back with greater ferocity, frequency and resistance.  Like most Chinese who have lived through 20^th Century Chinese history, her life was marked with hardship and sacrifices – she endured the devastation of civil war, invasion of her native land, and relocation to a new country where the language, customs, and even food were so alien.  Yet, she faced all these challenges with a deep reservoir of inner strength and abiding faith.  She was the foundation of our family’s happiness and achievements.  

Our mother was a great supporter of women.  In watching her suffer all these years, her daughters have learned a great deal from her about bravery in the face of great physical suffering, determination in making the best of life, and sacrificial, selfless, unconditional love for others.  Our mother is the reason we are who we are today. 

Some people may have noticed that my parents sometimes accompanied me on public events.  My parents sacrificed so much for their children.  It was a very small, joyous way to share a bit of my life with them.

Our mother also represents the passing of a generation that has suffered much over the last half century with such strength, stoicism and duty.  She herself would claim she was quite ordinary yet she was an extraordinary woman who devoted herself to God, her family, and community and changed history in her own way. 

We thank everyone who has been so kind to her and to us during this difficult time. 

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趙小蘭母親朱木蘭病逝

朱木蘭（右二）、趙錫成（左二）與趙小蘭（右一）和妹趙安吉（左一）。【趙小蘭辦公室提供】

【本報記者魏碧洲紐約報導】勞工部長趙小蘭的母親朱木蘭女士，2日下午病逝於紐約史隆-凱特林癌症紀念醫院，享年77歲。

趙小蘭3日下午表示，「母親積極樂觀面對病魔的挑戰，在人生的最後關頭，用堅毅與從容迎接生命最嚴峻的考驗。」趙小蘭原本3日上午要參加白宮國家經濟會報，臨時退席。布希總統在3日自大衛營兩度打電話給趙小蘭及其父親趙錫成博士，表達弔唁問候之意，讚揚趙小蘭母親熱愛生命與家人，教女有方，布希總統還提醒趙錫成說「趙小蘭是我內閣任期最長的一位部長。」。

朱木蘭女士祖籍安徽滁州，有姐弟五人，朱家為當地望族，朱木蘭少時就讀南京著名基督教明女中，品學兼優，也有深厚宗教信仰。最為人稱道的少年事是朱木蘭在抗日期間，多次受命腰纏重金，穿過軍事封鎖，往返安徽老家與南京之間，解決家中經濟燃眉之急。這也造就朱木蘭後來堅穩沉著，不畏艱難的獨立精神。趙小蘭說她母親是「那些半個多世紀以來忍辱負重，兢兢業業，拼博不息的前輩們的代表」。

朱木蘭在1961年帶著趙小蘭等三名幼女自台灣乘輪船來美，與當時在紐約求學的趙錫成團聚，展開在美國的新生活。趙小蘭最念念不忘的就是在父母親帶領下走過移民來美初時的種種辛酸歡悅，趙錫成與朱木蘭在「新的國家，語言不通、文化不同、習慣各異，甚至連食物也感陌生」的情況下，教養六個女兒，個個傑出有成。

朱木蘭在女兒們都獨立長大後，51歲時攻讀文學碩士，完成早年因戰亂而無法求學獲取新知的心願。朱木蘭言教身教給女兒們留下莫大的資產，她曾說「教育是給女兒最好的嫁妝」。

趙家親友正在籌備朱木蘭的喪禮。

2007-08-04