Although Auntie Bessie is my father's first cousin, she's also my mother's classmate from St. John's. They form part of a unique and small group of Chinese who were college educated in the 1940"s. They were born into privilege, but came into adulthood in World War II and the Japanese occupation of Shanghai. Although they moved to Hong Kong, they still kept their friendships with other Johanneans. Auntie Bessie was very active in the St. John's Alumni Association, as you can see in one of the pictures I posted. However, more important than these friendships were her family. Auntie Bessie cared a lot about her relatives. So, I have shared other pictures of her visiting with relatives, either in Hong Kong and the U.S. Sometimes they traveled together, in one of these cases, to Canada. Auntie Bessie was always very gracious, articulate, and caring. She was a pillar in upholding the strong bond between the Shih and the Chu families.