Mark Xie

Although he accomplished so much of which to be proud, there was no greater source of pride and joy in the life of Mark Xie than being surrounded by the love of his wife and children. He was never one to be concerned about gaining wealth or the praise of others, rather, his focus was on living life to the fullest while holding his loved ones near. A loving husband and devoted father, Mark was deeply devoted to both his family and his friends. With an insatiable thirst for learning new things, he was a student of life who could manage to solve whatever issue or obstacle came his way. There were times of struggle in his life, but Mark was a man whose strength and courage were such an inspiration to all who were near. Life will never be the same without Mark here, but his timeless legacy will be proudly carried on by those who follow in his footsteps.

During the 1950s, the world was recovering from the turmoil of WWII as it was in 1945 that the war came to an end. Life in China was anything but easy, and the Chinese Communist Party was on a mission to eliminate the wealthy peasants as a class altogether. Private land ownership was rare, and the majority of the land was owned by groups called cooperatives that were made up on average of 170 families in each. Amidst this historical time was the year 1955 when Jishun and Xuejiao (Yu) Xie were pleased to announce the birth of a healthy baby boy on September 14, 1955, in Shanghai, China. He was one of four children as he was raised in the family home in HeFei, China, alongside his older brother, Mingxian Xie, his older sister, Jianming Xie, and his younger sister, Limei Xie.

Tragedy struck in the Xie family as Mark’s father died when Mark was just a young boy of six. This left his mother, who had no job, on her own with four young children. As a result, Mark’s childhood was anything but easy with unimaginable hardships. However, it were those experiences that helped shape Mark into the responsible, hardworking, diligent, and family oriented man who was so deeply loved by all who knew him. Although he had his mischievous side, he was also courageous and studious even as a young boy. Mark’s mother often encouraged him to get outside and play, but he preferred to stay in and read, much to his mother’s dismay! After the death of his father, he was the one to help his siblings mend their shoes and clothes. Mark was very close to his siblings and loved them deeply. For the rest of his life, he was always there to help his siblings whether it was in a physical way or a financial one. In a culture where education was not encouraged, Mark was one of the very few who studied his way into a prestigious university in China. His love for reading remained, and he took particular interest in the physical sciences. Mark went on to complete his Doctorate in Mechanical Engineering in 1991.

Also as a young man, Mark met the love of his life. Her name was Jenny Sun, and they met in Shanghai through a mutual friend. Sparks flew right from the start, and it wasn’t long before the couple found themselves deeply in love. With a desire to establish a life together, Mark and Jenny were married in 1987 in Shanghai. Together they welcomed two children, Stacy and Peter, into their hearts and home. Their daughter was born in Shanghai, but in order to provide his children with a better life, Mark moved to the United States with his wife and daughter. Their son was born in Troy, Ohio.

To support his family, Mark worked in the field of mechanical engineering. He worked as a mechanical engineer at Hobart, as a senior mechanical engineer at Whirlpool, and as a senior mechanical at Stryker. Although he was very driven to succeed in his career, Mark’s family always came first. When working at Hobart in Troy, Ohio, he walked his daughter to kindergarten every morning before work.

Throughout his life, Mark was focused on the people and experiences he loved. He enjoyed walks with his wife and doing some traveling including a recent trip to Alaska with a cruise. For his 60th birthday, his son and daughter promised to take their father and mother on a cruise through the Mediterranean in Europe. Mark loved fixing and building things around the house, and he had just recently finished renovating his home in Kalamazoo as he always did love a challenge. He loved playing chess, bridge, and mah jong. In addition, Mark liked watching Chinese detective and war shows.

All who knew Mark Xie would agree that he was an extraordinary man to know and love. Although he could be stoic at times, he also was gentle, caring, and had a heart of gold. Generous, genuine, and selfless, Mark was devoted his life to his family and friends. He will never be forgotten.

Mark Mingjun Xie died on October 1, 2015 in New York City at the age of 60. Learn more about Mark and visit with his family and friends on Friday, October 23, 2015 from 10-11 AM at the Life Story Funeral Home, Betzler-Kalamazoo, 6080 Stadium Drive; 375-2900, where services will be held at 11 AM. Following the service, food and refreshments will be served in the Life Story Center. Mark is survived by his wife, Jenny Sun; a daughter, Stacy Xie and son, Peter Xie. Please visit Mark’s personal web page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you can archive a favorite memory or photo and sign his online guestbook before coming to the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to Kalamazoo Regional Education Service Agency (KRESA).