Wan Yunan was born in Gudong, China. The oldest of 5 brothers, he began working in the family business at a young age to help take care of his family. His father died at an early age leaving Yunan to care for his brothers.
He cared for his family through the cultural revolution, eventually becoming a chemist working for the Eastern China University for Chemical Engineering.
He met and married the love of his life Xian Neng Chen in 1975. Soon after, his daughter Jin was born.
His excellent work earned him an opportunity to come to the University of Alabama in Birmingham to participate in projects there. His research received numerous grants from the US government for various US military defense research projects.
As with many immigrants, Yunan came to the US with very little other than his brilliant mind and an unwavering work ethic. He worked hard to build a comfortable life for his family here. As serious as he was about his career and caring for his family, he was just as dedicated to living a full life. He loved to cook and throw parties for family friends and co-workers. Often the rich baritone of his laugh was the first thing you heard walking into one of his parties.
After he retired from UAB he opened a number of Chinese restaurants in Birmingham.
After retiring from the restaurant business, Yunan enjoyed gardening and cooking. He adored his wife and daughter, and loved spending time with his two grandkids.
The family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 6th, at 1 PM at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home in Hoover. A memorial service will follow at 2 PM in the funeral home chapel.
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
1:00 - 2:00 pm (Central time)
Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home
Wednesday, July 6, 2022
Starts at 2:00 pm (Central time)
Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home
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