A message from Jill Cheng, President & CEO, Cheng & Tsui Company:
It is with a heavy heart that we announce the loss of a great scholar, author, and friend. Irene Liu, co-author of Reading into a New China and Success with Chinese, who passed away on May 18, 2015.
We are humbled to reflect on the life and contributions of Dr. Irene Liu. Irene was a dedicated scholar and a beloved author. We had the good fortune of collaborating with Irene on a number of projects over the years, including the two highly-regarded series: Reading into a New China and Success with Chinese.
It was a unique pleasure working with Irene. From our first collaboration until the time of her passing, we were awed by the mastery of her craft and frequently sought her counsel. Irene brought a thoughtful, sensitive eye to teaching and writing, and her absence will be felt for many years to come.
Duanduan Li, with whom Irene wrote Reading Into a New China, leaves this remembrance:
"Dr. Irene Liu was a well-respected and kind colleague, mentor, friend and collaborator. My heart was saddened to hear the terrible news of her passing. Just a month ago, Irene and I were enthusiastically exchanging ideas regarding the revision of our co-authored textbooks (Reading into a New China). Her kindness and guidance really helped me become who I am today. But even more importantly, her vision and passion for Chinese language education in North America, her leadership in the Chinese Language Program at Columbia University and in the Chinese Language Teachers Association, and her many popular and cutting-edge Chinese language textbooks made a significant contribution to the field and will be part of her important and enduring legacy. She will be greatly missed.” - Duanduan Li, University of British Columbia
We, too, will miss Irene. Our thoughts are with her husband John Meskill, and her family and friends during this time of sorrow and reflection. Her obituary appeared in the Cape Cod Times.