-gf

Bill Reich

EULOGY

When I first met Kevin at Yale, I was a shy Chinese-American girl trying to find her way in a male-dominated university environment. Kevin gave me the courage to explore new things, the confidence to strive for excellence, and the power of love to nurture my soul.

One of my early experiments with Kevin was trying alcohol for the very first time. He told me not to be afraid of doing silly things while under the influence because he was there to protect me. By making this promise, he got more than he had bargained for. Shortly after drinking three shots of whiskey, I gleefully snuck into the nearby cemetery and could have gotten into serious trouble. But Kevin followed me faithfully as I danced around the tombstones and kept me safe from harm. That was just the beginning of a wonderful journey with my beloved Kevin.

When I ventured into my first high-tech sales job with Xerox, Kevin was there for me every step of the way. Whether helping me learn new technology, patiently listening to my sales presentations, or encouraging me to establish new sales records, Kevin gave me the strength to achieve my best.

Later when I was debating whether to accept a unique job offer from Hewlett Packard for an assignment in France, Kevin did not hesitate. “Exciting jobs like these don’t come often,” he said. “Go for it!” Now perhaps the fact that he would get trips to London, Geneva, and the French Riviera might have influenced his advice. But I think it was more that Kevin believed in me and knew that an experience in Europe would help me grow and be a stronger person. Without his steadfast support, I would never have embarked on what turned into one of the most memorable chapters in both our lives.

When my mother became ill, I spent two years going back and forth between CA and NY every month to help take care of her. Though this meant being apart from Kevin, he never complained because he understood the importance of family. My mother had wanted me to marry a Chinese man, but she instantly fell in love with Kevin. In her first encounter with the prospective son-in-law, she deliberately tested Kevin by serving Chinese dishes (with strange ingredients like sea urchin) and watched him eat them with gusto. She spoke to him in rapid Mandarin and was amazed when he responded in kind. Kevin transformed her from being a skeptic to being one of his staunchest advocates.
Kevin was always modest about his intelligence and sense of humor, never flaunting but rather using them to provide sage advice, engage in lively discussions, and offer comfort to those who needed it. Even when he was suffering from cancer, he could always make his doctors and nurses laugh and gained their respect with his special wit, creative mind, and deep insights.

While Kevin had the gift of blarney like any good Irishman, he was also an excellent listener. You could talk to him about anything, and he would lend a sympathetic ear – whether a niece who needed college advice, a sibling who needed career help, or a friend who needed a shoulder to cry on. He deserves special credit for listening patiently to me as I tried to entertain him with jokes, but would forget the punch line at the end.

Kevin knew what he wanted and never strayed from that path. Though becoming an attorney was fashionable at the time and Kevin had gotten a scholarship to law school, he chose writing as his profession – one that he loved and had dreamed about since high school. He authored ten published novels and over seventy published short stories and articles. Among his accomplishments, he won the Mannesmann Tally literary award in science fiction. Of course, I did not object when this award also included a romantic trip to Paris over Valentine’s Day weekend.

Kevin stayed true to himself, even when it came to fashion. He loved blue jeans – what you see is what you get. Always authentic, never pretentious, that was Kevin – a man of character and great integrity, someone you could trust through thick and thin.

Kevin – my dearest loved one – I know that you hated long, boring speeches, so let me end by saying that you were a truly extraordinary human being. Though words cannot do justice to how I feel about you, I hope this tribute conveys my undying love for you, not only as my husband, but also as my best friend.