"Amy" Hwei- Mei Yien

Amy Hwei Mei Yien passed away on June 30, 2019, at the age of 76 after complications from a stroke. She is a great example of how crucial the role of wife, mother and grandmother can be in a family as her loved ones grieve their immense loss. Amy was born on September 15,1942, in Taipei, Taiwan into a large family of 8 girls and 1 boy. Her sisters would tease her throughout her life as being "daddy's favorite", as in the academically focused culture of Taiwan she excelled as a top student. Amy attended the prestigious Taipei First Girls High School and graduated from National Taiwan University's College of Law. While in high school, she was introduced to the older brother of a best friend, Robert Shan Pang Yien. They fell in love, and Amy's fate was sealed as Robert emigrated from Taiwan to the United States in 1965 to attend graduate school at Michigan State University. Naturally Amy was admitted as a student too with her strong academic credentials, and so Amy also emigrated to the United States to marry Robert in 1966. By 1967, Amy had to withdraw as a student as she became pregnant with her first child, a boy. Robert and Amy moved with their son to Saginaw, Michigan, in 1970, as Robert began a long career at what was then Saginaw Valley College (now Saginaw Valley State University). Amy settled into her role as a mom and homemaker, adjusting to life as a first-generation immigrant in a mid-sized Michigan city. When a second son was born, she had plenty to do raising two boys while also supporting her husband's career. Robert became a pioneer as one of the few overseas born Asian American college administrators in his new role of Vice President for Academic Affairs at SVSC, but he could not have succeeded without the strong support Amy provided at home. While Amy never became a career woman, when her boys became older, she worked part time as a hostess at Forbidden City Chinese Restaurant in Saginaw. This suited her natural lifelong ability to make people feel at ease and welcome. Though a natural introvert, Amy always made a special effort to engage people in conversation. Even when there seemed to be nothing to talk about, she could find something. Amy lived a full life. As her husband succeeded in his career at SVSU, he believed that travel was one of the best forms of education, so Amy saw many different parts of Michigan and the United States and traveled throughout Asia. One highlight was visiting China in 1984 with Robert, a once in a lifetime experience to observe it before it developed into the bustling nation it is today. After being away from her home, Taiwan, for over 40 years, in 2007 Robert began a second career with Ming Chuan University in Taipei after retiring from SVSU in 2006. They began spending significant time in Taipei every year, allowing Amy a chance to reconnect with her siblings and classmates after being away for so long. Among her Taiwan based sisters and brother and many nephews and nieces, Amy was always "3rd aunt" with a reputation of being a stellar student who moved away to the United States. Amy also began a second career when her granddaughter was born in 2010, stunning her sons as their mom somehow mysteriously transformed into "silly Grandma" after they only knew her as a loving but sometimes strict Mom! What would be her final chapter was joyfully highlighted by time spent with family, whether traveling with them while in Taiwan or the United States. She is survived by her husband Robert of Saginaw, her son Bradley of Portland, Oregon, and her son Phillip, his wife Ruth, and their daughter Joanna of Portland, Oregon. A funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday July 6, 2019 at W.L. Case and Company 4480 Mackinaw Road. Friends may visit the family on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the service on Saturday. Honoring Amys wishes a private cremation will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers or other gifts, Amy's family asks that donations be made in her memory to Bread of Life Christian Church in Portland (Oregon). Checks may be made payable to "BOLIP" and mailed to Bread of Life in Portland, 550 NE 76th Avenue, Portland, OR 97213. To accommodate Amys out of town relatives and friends, we will stream the memorial service on Facebook. Please go to the personal page of her son, Phillip Yien. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1389501754

Funeral Home:
W. L. Case and Company Mackinaw Funeral Chapel
4480 Mackinaw Road
Saginaw, MI
US 48603