HIS LIFE
Dr. Wen-Feng Jan, affectionately called, “Wen-Feng” by close friends and family members, was born in Hsin-Chu, Taiwan on December 17, 1937. He was born to Yuan-Chu Jan, a general internist and pediatrician, and Yu-Tsai Huang, a college educated woman from a wealthy, politically active family in Taiwan. Wen-Feng was the firstborn child amongst a total of eight siblings from Yuan-Chu and Yu-Tsai.
Wen-Feng had a happy childhood, filled with love, smiles and affection – particularly from his mother. She passed away from Dengue Fever when Wen-Feng was about twelve years old. Subsequently, Wen-Feng’s father remarried to Zao-Yin Fu and together they conceived one child together, for a total of nine children in the household. Zao-Fu provided wonderful support and nurturing for the family for decades to come.
Wen-Feng grew up in a strict household, where his father emphasized self-discipline, education, and hard work. Such values became ingrained in Wen-Feng’s character, who while growing up became known for his intelligence, studious nature, and work ethic. Wen-Feng graduated from Hsin-Chu High School – famous for its well-rounded curriculum, where all students were required to excel not only in science and math, but also the arts. Here, Wen-Feng excelled in English and speech. He also nurtured a love of music and sang in the choir.
Subsequently, Wen-Feng attended the prestigious National Taiwan University medical school and then graduated in 1964. After that, he entered the Taiwan military as a physician for one year of compulsory service. He then came to the U.S. on a scholarship to do research for the world-renowned pediatric endocrinologist John Crigler, and then completed his residency in pediatrics with Harvard Medical School at the Boston Children’s Hospital.
In 1971, he married his sweetheart, Nancy Wu, and together they had two daughters, Wendy and Candice. Wen-Feng went on to practice pediatric endocrinology and eventually moved to Orange County, California to open up his own private practice, where he remained a pediatrician committed to his work and patients for almost another thirty-five years. He so loved his work that he never retired.
Wen-Feng was a good man through and through. He had a rock-steady demeanor, he was utterly devoted to his family, and he had a rare humility and kindness that led him to count his blessings no matter how difficult the circumstance. He will be dearly missed by all, including his wife, Nancy, his daughters, Wendy and Candice, his son-in-law Michael Wong, and his grandchildren Caleb and Jacob.