Juliana Young Koo

Juliana Koo
Born Yen Yu-yün
(1905-09-26)September 26, 1905
Tianjin, China
Died (2017-05-24)May 24, 2017
(aged 111 years, 240 days)
Manhattan, New York City, United States
Nationality Republic of China
Occupation Diplomat
Spouse(s) Yang Guangsheng or Kuangson Young (m. 1929–1942; his death)
Wellington Koo (m. 1959–1985; his death)
Children 3 daughters with Young

Juliana Young Koo (née Yen; simplified Chinese: 严幼韵; traditional Chinese: 嚴幼韻; pinyin: Yán Yòuyùn; September 26, 1905 – May 24, 2017) was a Chinese and American diplomat who worked in the UN Protocol Department.[1] Her first husband, Chinese diplomat Yang Guangsheng (Kuangson Young) was executed by the Japanese during World War II. After the war, she moved to the United States and married the diplomat and politician Wellington Koo. She was a supercentenarian.[2]

Early life

She was born to a wealthy family with business and government ties in Tianjin, China as Yen Yu-yün (Chinese: 嚴幼韻; pinyin: Yán Yòuyùn; Wade–Giles: Yen Yu-yün) on September 26, 1905 to Yan Zijun (1872–1931), whose grandfather, Yan Xinhou (1838–1907), was a Chinese visual artist. She attended Keen School when she was 14.[3]

She was one of the first women to graduate from Fudan University.[4] At university, a special car took her to campus and brought her back, since its number was 84, the male students nicknamed her "Miss 84".[5]

Marriage and career

She married Yang Guangsheng (or Clarence Kuangson Young; Chinese: 楊光泩; pinyin: Yáng Guāngshēng; Wade–Giles: Yung Kuang-sheng ) on September 6, 1929. Her first husband, a Chinese consul general stationed in Manila from 1938–42, was arrested at the beginning of World War II and eventually executed by the Japanese on April 17, 1942. Juliana and her three daughters survived. After her first husband, was killed by the Japanese army, she took care of more than 26 widows and children of the consulate staff. After the war, she took her three daughters to the U.S. on her own. She spent 10 years working at the United Nations in New York.[6] After she immigrated to New York, she met her future husband, Wellington Koo, a Chinese diplomat, in 1952; the couple wed in September 1959.[5]

Autobiography

She released her autobiography titled 109 Springtimes: My Story in 2015.[7] On September 26, 2015, Koo became a supercentenarian, when she reached the age of 110 years.[8]

According to her the secret to her longevity was eating foie gras, beef, pork belly and "as much butter as you like." She also advised against exercise and vegetables. She also suggested regular bouts of mahjong, a game she liked to play.[9]

Death

Juliana Young Koo died on May 24, 2017, aged 111 years, 240 days.[10]

References

  1. ↑ Barron, James (June 8, 2017). "Juliana Young Koo, Chinese Immigrant Who Published Her Life Story at 104, Dies at 111". The New York Times. Retrieved June 11, 2017.
  2. ↑ Barron, James. "Lessons of 107 Birthdays: Don't Exercise, Avoid Medicine and Never Look Back". City Room. Retrieved April 6, 2017.
  3. ↑ Wang Ruifeng, Jin Wan Bao (2015-09-21). "The legendary life of Tianjin-born diplomat Juliana Young Koo". investinchina.com. Archived from the original on 2017-06-04. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  4. ↑ "Juliana Young Koo recalls the past in new book". Global Times. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  5. 1 2 Young, Shirley. "名媛严幼韵的109个春天". history.people.com.cn (in Chinese). Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  6. ↑ Liu Zhihua (2015-05-20). "Story of a century". China Daily. Retrieved 2017-05-10.
  7. ↑ Lun Xiaoxuan (2015-05-18). "顾严幼韵口述自传在京发布 周明伟出席发布会[组图]" (in Chinese). China Network. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  8. ↑ Hong Xiao (2015-09-27). "Author and wife of diplomat celebrates 110th birthday". China Daily. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  9. ↑ Mimi Sheraton (2016-12-10). "111-Year-Old's Secret Foie Gras Diet". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 2017-04-27.
  10. ↑ Barron, James (June 8, 2017). "Juliana Young Koo, Chinese Immigrant Who Published Her Life Story at 104, Dies at 111". New York Times. Retrieved June 25, 2017.
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