Obituary of Huizhong Liang

Huizhong Liang, 82, passed away on February 20, 2025, at Overlook Hospital in Summit, New Jersey.

Born on October 21, 1942, into a scholarly family in Hunan Province, China, Liang grew up in a home shaped by education and resilience. Her mother was a teacher, a graduate of Taoyuan Girls’ Academy, and her father was a respected editor at the Southwest Daily. During World War II, her father enlisted in the military, fighting in the Battles of Changsha against the Japanese Army, and returned home after the war. Tragically, in 1949, following the Communist takeover, he was wrongfully executed due to his past military service with the Nationalist forces. It wasn’t until the 1980s that his name was cleared.

Losing her father at just seven years old, Liang faced immense challenges growing up with her widowed mother and two younger brothers. Despite their hardships, she loved learning and excelled academically, earning a spot at the county middle school.

But her education was cut short when political turmoil struck. In 1957, her aunt—a teacher—was labeled a “rightist” and sent to the countryside, and at 14, Liang was forced to leave school. She took up an apprenticeship in a factory, working tirelessly to support her grandmother, mother, and brothers.

During the Great Famine of 1959–1961, food was scarce, and life was brutal. At the factory, the year-end treat was a small bowl of pork, but Liang wouldn’t touch it—she brought it home to honor her grandmother, even though she herself went hungry for months, saving every bit she could for her family.

Liang was hardworking, smart, and eager to learn. She mastered every task at the factory, from soap-making and printing to accounting, becoming an indispensable leader and earning the respect of her mentors.

In 1964, she married and had four children—three daughters and a son—raising them with her husband on a modest income while also caring for her aging father-in-law and supporting her mother and brothers back home. To save money, she taught herself to sew, making clothes and shoes for her kids, often working late into the night after long days at the factory.

The Cultural Revolution brought more hardship. Factory leaders targeted her because of her family background, pressuring her to denounce others, but she refused to speak ill of anyone. Instead, she focused on her family, shielding her children from the chaos and encouraging them to study.

Her dedication paid off—after the college entrance exams resumed in the late 1970s, her children went on to attend prestigious universities like Peking and Tsinghua.

In her later years, after moving to the United States, Liang embraced Christianity, finding new purpose and light in her faith.

To her children, her love and faith, rooted in a heavenly source, will always shine brightly. Rest in peace, Liang—may God be with you always. 

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讣告

梁慧中女士于2025年2月20日在美国新泽西州萨米特市的欧弗卢克医院去世，享年82岁。

梁慧中生于1942年10月21日，出身于中国湖南省一个书香世家。其母是一名教师，毕业于桃园女校。其父原为西南日报编辑，抗战时投笔从戎，参与了长沙会战，战后退伍回乡，1949年中共建政，他因曾参加国军蒙冤被杀，直到1980年代才平反昭雪。

失去父亲时，梁慧中年仅7岁，与寡母和两个弟弟一起艰难度日。她热爱读书，即使出身不好受到压制，仍然靠着优异的成绩，考入了县中。此后不久，转学到洪江市中学，当时她的姑姑正在此处任教。
 

1957年，姑姑被打成右派下放农村。14岁的她，被迫辍学，进厂学徒，承担起照顾奶奶和接济乡下寡母幼弟的责任。

1959-1961年的大饥荒期间，食物匮乏，生活艰难。在工厂，年终福利仅有一小碗猪肉，她舍不得尝一丁点，全部端回来孝敬奶奶。哪怕一年到头自己吃不到一口饱饭，她都坚持把最好的留给家人，饥饿留给自己。

在工厂学徒，她工作努力，聪慧好学，深得师傅喜爱。而且她喜欢钻研，又不挑工种，从做肥皂、刷红纸，到印刷、排版、装订，再到记帐、财务，每一项她都力争做到最好，最后成为厂里的全才，不可或缺的管理骨干。

1964年结婚后，她相继生下一子三女。与丈夫一起，以微薄的薪水，抚养子女，孝敬公公，还要接济乡下寡母和弟弟。为节约开支，她自学了裁缝，亲自缝制孩子们的衣服鞋袜。白天上班劳累一天后，晚上常常忙到深夜。

文化大革命带来了更多磨难。厂里小头头以她出身不好为由，给她穿小鞋，逼她揭发他人，她始终不肯说人一句坏话。她将精力放在家庭上，保护孩子免受混乱影响，督导并鼓励他们学习。

在她的悉心教导下，文革恢复高考后，她的儿女相继考入北京大学和清华大学等名校。

梁慧中晚年移居美国，皈依了基督教，从此生命有了新的意义。
 

对她的孩子们而言，她的爱和信仰，都是来自天国的光。安息吧，神与你同在