In Memory of Jesse Cheng

Jesse Cheng, 98, passed away peacefully on April 3rd, 2026 in his home in Myrtle Beach, SC. Jesse was born March 28, 1928 in Shanghai, China. Jesse was raised in Chinese aristocracy with private chefs and butlers. His privileged world was soon shattered as the Japanese over took and pillaged the cities of Shanghai and Nanjing. Jesse’s parents divorced, but their little family of four persevered through uncertain times. Jesse studied at Saint John’s University, a China’s premier Christian university. Christian universities like Saint Johns came under attack during the Mao Revolution, and Jesse abandoned his studies and fled China to the United States. He finished his senior year and graduated with a BA in economics from Manchester College in Indiana.

After graduation, Jesse joined his family in the outskirts of New York City where he studied for his MBA at NYU. At this point, Jesse met a smart attractive Chinese coed who shared his interest in mathematics and competitive bridge. They married and moved to the Washington DC suburbs to raise their Chinese American brood. Jesse was a numbers guy and worked as a statistician for the federal government his entire career serving the Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Government Accountability Office.

In retirement, Jesse traveled the world playing competitive bridge with his wife, Helen. Jesse found his new passion, playing the stock market and watching financial news. In the last year, Jesse’s wife of 70 years had stage 4 cancer. Jesse cared for her until the end, planning and cooking her meals, and holding hands for hours. About 3 months after Helen passed, Jesse was admitted to the hospital. After one night in a hospital bed, Jesse signed an AMA, went home to his house, lied in his bed, closed his eyes, and passed peacefully.

Jesse is survived by his sons, Robert; David; and Michael; and their grandchildren; Ryan, Joshua, Anthony, Michelle, Colette, Theodore, and Jesse Jr. A memorial service will be held in Myrtle Beach, SC at 1313 Royal Devon Dr, Myrtle Beach SC, on June 20, 2026 at 4:00 pm.

This was not generated by AI.

In Memory of Helen Cheng

Helen Cheng, 92, passed away peacefully on December 31st, 2025 in Myrtle Beach, SC. Helen was born March 25, 1933 in Fozhou, China. Her father, Theodore Chen, was the president of a prominent Christian university and left China while she was young to escape the persecution of intellectuals during the Mao revolution. Their small family landed in Los Angeles, California, where her father taught Asian Studies at the University of Southern California and became the first Asian professor on the west coast. Helen was rather bright, a straight A student and won a full scholarship at Barnard University to study mathematics. She moved to the east coast and met her husband, Jesse Cheng, studying for his MBA at NYU.

They married in 1955, had two rambunctious children and moved to Maryland. Helen stayed home while Jesse became a statistician for the federal government. Helen had one more child, raised her children in the church and made them learn judo. She founded and organized the Bowie Bridge Club, and later won the women’s national championship. Whip smart and hard working, she excelled in programming mainframes in the US Naval Academy and the Library of Congress, one of the few females in a male dominated field. In retirement, she traveled the world playing competitive bridge, organizing bridge events on cruise ships, and managing her rental properties.

Helen has led a unique and remarkable life full of accomplishment, love and family. Helen was an avid reader. During the pandemic, she read every John Grisham novel.

Helen is survived by Jesse Cheng, her husband of 70 years; sons, Robert; David, and Michael; and grandchildren; Ryan, Joshua, Anthony, Michelle, Collete, Theodore, and Jesse.

A memorial service will be held in Myrtle Beach, SC at Prestwick Country Club, 1001 Links Road on January 31, 2026 at 4:00 pm.

This was not generated by AI.