Remembrances
Huan and Angie skiing Pajarito:
Huan performing tricks at the pool table:
I know how huge a loss Huan’s passing must be to friends in the bay area and to his family. I had the pleasure and good fortune knowing Huan in Los Alamos both through our local go club and our similar physics background. We spent many memorable hours together immersed in these common interests. I also remember his hospitality and one particularly enjoyable socal gathering at his lovely home on his canyon lot in White Rock.
Condolences to all those who are lucky enough to have had Huan’s in their lives.
Mikkel Johnson
I worked with Huan for many years at LANL. My sincere condolences for your loss.
Rhon Keinigs
I am saddened to hear of your father’s passing. I knew your dad when we worked in the same group from 1989 to 2003. He was a very enjoyable colleague to work with, and his depth of experience and knowledge always led to useful and well as pleasant conversations.
I know you will always have fond memories of your father.
Carl Lund
I was greatly saddened to learn of Huan’s passing. I had the privilege of working with Huan at LANL for several years. He was superb scientist, one of the best I have ever worked with. He could take even the most complex problem and find clever solutions. His work is still being used today at LANL. I express my sincerest condolences to Huan’s family.
Art Forster
Los Alamos, New Mexico
I received a telephone call from Los Alamos a few minutes ago telling me of the passing of your Dad. We were in the same group at the Lab, and he was a strong contributor to our work. I was also very impressed with his wide interests and his choice to sample the best of everything – science, literature, poetry, and, of course, Go. I have many fond memories of Huan, and my thoughts are with you now.
Sincerely,
Jack Brownell
I am very saddened and surprised that you had left us so soon. I still remember our fun time of playing tennis together in Los Alamos and it seems that was no long ago. I had great times of playing with you or against you for double or single. I still could not believe you were able not only to keep up with us but often beat us who were 30 years younger than you. In addition to tennis, we also had a lot of fun chatting with you on everything happened locally, nationally and internationally. I will always remember our time together and remember you as our friend and tennis buddy!
You were alway very fit and taking care of your body so well. We have used you as a role model for healthy living. And that is why I was so surprised to learn you just left us. I expected you would stick around at least another 10 or 20 years to enjoy your retirement.
Huan, please rest in peace and I will always remember you as a friend and great tennis buddy!
Love,
Jian Song
On the Pajarito Mountains
————————-
Look at him,
descending from the blue sky
on a pair of skis
landing on a black-diamond trail
covered with fresh powder snow
He navigates through moguls big and small
with grace and without effort
Taking a path never travelled before
he leaves behind a curve, deep and clear
Turning left and right, moving up and down,
he always looks forward,
beyond the trees, beyond the forest, beyond the sky,
into the distant unknowns
All of a sudden, the bottom of the trail is in-sight
I will meet you at the top of the mountain,
where all journeys began
and do this one more time, just one more time.
Jen-Chieh Peng
It was a normal Saturday, on June 2, 2012, I called 焕 and 荧 at their Moraga, California home from Northern Alberta, Canada. I was thinking about either paying a visit to them or inviting them over to our Elk Grove, CA home, while visiting my family in Northern California. It, however, was an unusual call I had never anticipated, as this time 焕 was no longer on the other end. 荧 told me that 焕 had just passed away the day before. My mind became totally blank and my heart filled with indescribable pain and sadness, followed with tears running down my cheeks.
Unlike the most people who have expressed their remembrance, I am neither 焕’s Los Alamos Lab colleagues, nor his classmate at the National Tsing Hua University. I am a Civil Engineer who is more than twenty years younger than 焕, probably in a different generation. Moreover, I only know 焕 for less than two years, starting at a party at 焕 and 荧’s Moraga home in summer 2010. Yet, 焕 and I had quickly developed strong friendship due to our common interest and passion for the nature and science, as well as our similar personal traits in seeking for truth and perfection! At first, I called 焕 “李先生” but he insisted that he not be addressed this way. One day he said to me that 立波, if you would really not get used to calling me directly by name, then just call me as 焕兄. Thus, from that day on, both me and my wife started to address him as 焕兄. Yes, our dear 焕兄！
During the time, 焕 and I had engaged in extensive and deep discussion on many subjects ranging from serious topics on nature and science involving Cosmology, Particle Physics, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, black hole theory to the topics on US politics, presidential election and the congressional gridlock; from cultural issue to down-hill and Mogul skiing (yes, I am a black diamond skier who has the same passion as 焕 had many years ago!).
Starting from my first acquaintance with 焕 in summer 2010 till he passed away, we two had accumulated nearly 100 e-mails, as the results of our regular communication, without mentioning the numerous hours that we had spent talking over the phone or face to face. In 焕’s last e-mail dated March 25, 2012, he said to me that “立波, don’t push yourself over the physical limit for the job at the expense of your health. Take care”. Our last phone conversation occurred during the middle of this April, while I was in California for a family visit from Alberta.
焕 is an extraordinary person with unparalleled and profound knowledge on many subjects. He demonstrated keen wit, unique and deep conviction to the truth. He is brilliant, a great scientist and a person with high moral and principles who also has a warm heart.
I had fortunately spent a good whole day with 焕 in October 2011 at his Moraga home, shortly before my departure to Canada. 焕 took me to the lunch at a nearby Chinese restaurant and I stayed with him until very late that night. Although 焕 had complained to me during several occasions that he had been losing weight due to unknown reason, I had felt overall he was in a good shape. His untimely passing was totally unexpected. I had in fact anticipated a long lasting true friendship with him for the many years to come ….. without mentioning that I still had a list of topics for which I would like to engage in discussion with him.
For me, 焕 is more than just a good friend, a 兄长, he is in fact my mentor and my inspiration. He is a unique person I have ever met who will leave deep imprints in my life!
立波我在千里以外为您祝愿， 安息吧，dear 焕兄. You will be missed!
With Peace and Love!
Libo Steven Liu and Jing
In Remembrance: Huan Lee (李煥), 1939-2012
It was in the fall of 1955 when a new class of chemical engineering majors were
about to start their college years at the National Taiwan University. Huan Lee (李煥) was
one of the very brightest among them: “A talented, proud, and smart person,” in the
words of a classmate Catherine Kwan (Ning Ka Chia; 寧克嘉). Hers was an impression
shared by many of Huan’s other classmates.
Huan’s father headed a cement factory in Su-Ao, a seaport at the southeast edge
of Yi-Lan County, and Huan was a shining star at the Yi-Lan Senior High School. “He
graduated with the highest grades in Chinese, English and Mathematics,” recalled Yang-I
Lin (林洋一), his high school classmate and later a fellow chemical engineer student as
well.
But Huan excelled not just in those subjects. His art teacher, for one, recognized
his talent in calligraphy and Chinese painting. In an art exhibition at the Yi-Lan High
School during their final year, Yang-I remembered, “more than one third of the paintings
in the exhibition hall were Huan’s.”
“Huan ranked No. 1 among the chemical engineering majors in the entrance
examination of our year.” Said Laurence Loh (陸尚德) as he recounted the first time they
met: “But instead of a scholastic type with a reserved demeanor, I saw one with an
athletic physique and an outgoing personality.”
A few years younger than most of his fellow chemical engineering classmates,
Huan was highly competitive and combative. Because of his younger age and audacity,
some of us would often tease him and challenge him to various games like chess, ping
pong, and billiards. Huan would always take on the challenges; he couldn’t win all the
time, of course, but he would rarely refuse to have another match after suffering a losing
streak, or to have a rematch in the future.
Despite his being competitive, Huan was always true to himself. During our
sophomore year, our Differential Equations professor had developed a phobia in giving
out bad grades to students. So this professor would assign some 20 problems for us to
work on at home, then pick eight among the 20 for final examination questions.
Furthermore, lest the final might still be considered too hard, anyone who could complete
five of the eight problems would get full mark. Thus all of us scored near 100 at the
final—that was, all except Huan. For Huan refused to cheat himself by memorizing those
pre-assigned problems, and he was perhaps the only one who scored under 90 in that
course, though one of the few who had actually mastered that subject.
Huan’s interest in physics started early. Jim Ho (何健民) remembered well a
discussion of parity and anti-parity with Huan, while visiting him at Huan’s Su-Ao home
shortly after C. N. Yang and T. D. Lee won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1957 for their
theorem on anti-parity: “Neither of us knew much about the subject,” Jim recollected,
“but Huan raised several well thought out questions.” A decade after that event, Huan
would receive his Ph. D. in Theoretical Physics, and Jim his in Chemical Physics, at the
University of California at Berkley.
As Laurence would put it, “Huan was very interested in discussion of any
subject, and always demonstrated unique and deeply penetrating thoughts.” I vividly
remember a discussion Huan and I had in Berkeley in 1968 about an enzymatic activity I
had just discovered in extracts of bacterial cells, which I dubbed the “ω protein.” This
activity, the first of a family of proteins that would later be named the “DNA
topoisomerases,” exhibited an amazing ability of transiently breaking DNA strands, and
thus allowing a tightly coiled loop of a DNA double helix to become relaxed. After
listening to my description of this enzyme, Huan thought that there should be an “anti-ω
protein” as well, one which would be capable of converting a relaxed DNA loop back to
a tightly coiled form. Furthermore, he reasoned, because a tightly coiled DNA loop
would be in a higher energy state than a relaxed one, this hypothetical anti-ω activity
should require an energy source in its action, most likely ATP, a universal fuel in living
cells.
“Very logical,” I teased him, “but not biological!” But Huan would have the last
laugh in that discussion. Eight years later, another research group would report an ATPdependent
activity of precisely the type Huan had predicted!
During the years we were both at Berkeley, our families would often get
together. I remember that once the two families took a trip to Lake Tahoe. In the evening,
the two men went for a “very brief” visit of a casino, while the wives and children waited
at a motel. Huan had thought of a winning strategy for playing Black Jack, but luck
wasn’t on his side that evening, and our brief visit had gradually stretched into the early
morning hours. After emptying his pockets of cash, he borrowed all I had, and soon
exhausted that meager sum as well. I had to literally drag him out of the casino when he
was about to walk to the cashier’s window with his credit cards. Huan’s competitiveness
and combativeness never mellowed over the years, as his friends well remembered.
After his retirement from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, Huan moved to
California. By then he had developed a peripheral artery disease. Eight years ago, he
suffered a heart attack and passed out on the tennis court. A quadruple bypass operation
followed, but he had never physically recovered from his heart attack and the subsequent
complications. Those who met him during a class reunion in Taiwan in 2008 thought that
he looked rather frail.
In June of 2012, Huan succumbed in a hospital bed while asleep. He was
survived by his second wife Ying, his son Charlton, and his daughter Angie.
Compiled by James C. Wang (王倬)
Huan was an extraordinary man. He possessed multifaceted talents. Time spent with Huan was never dull as he had strong interests and extensive knowledge in so many things. Most of us can remember his passionate debates on academic, cultural, political, historical and racial issues. I also recall fond discussions with him about sports, investments, entertainment, and health topics.
I first interacted with Huan over two decades ago during activities organized by the Los Alamos Chinese Cultural Association. That’s when I first noticed Huan’s zeal for his ethnic culture and its promotion. Then for several years in the 90s, Karaoke became popular among many families in the community. While almost everybody chose Chinese pop music, we were impressed by Huan’s singing of 1960s English songs in rich baritone.
Huan was also a superb cook. We still savor the delicious multi-course dinner he prepared for us and two other families at his White Rock home. The year was 1999; Huan’s father and Charlton were also present. We remember the occasion well because one of my sons commented that Charlton with his pony tail resembled a Hong Kong song writer/entertainer who appeared in a TV special that we just watched.
Huan and I spent a lot of time playing tennis together. He cautioned against strenuous activities right after eating and pointed out that damage from sun exposure was cumulative. Good advice for someone like me who’s carefree and just wanted to play. For years we had a tennis group of about eight people who played weekly, Friday nights when it’s hot and Saturday/Sunday mornings during cold months. Huan was a competitive, steady player who could hold his own against opponents many years his junior. I was often amused by his remarks, like “差不多啦” when he’s about to put a point away, or “哎呀糟糕” when the situation was reversed. There’s a YouTube video (low quality, shot by me) posted a couple of years ago in which we can see and hear Huan play in a doubles game during a breezy evening:
The attached picture was taken after one of those fun tennis gatherings. Huan was clearly the center of attention.
I visited Huan at his Moraga home in 2005. He showed me his nice neighborhood, with its community recreation facilities, including swimming and tennis, of course. He was well on his way to recovering to fuller strength to rejoin his early-morning tennis group. We drove to Walnut Creek, where he introduced me to a fine restaurant that he frequented.
My sons always asked me every time I travelled to Livermore or the Bay Area if I was going to visit Uncle Lee. In 2008, during a combined work travel/vacation trip, my family finally got to see Huan again and met Ying for the first time. They treated us to a delicious dinner at the fabulous R&G Lounge (嶺南小館) in SF Chinatown. Attached is a picture of Huan and Ying taken that night.
I still have this vivid image of Huan getting out of his red Corvette with his tennis bag, ready for another friendly match. I can imagine he’s in a fine place now smiling upon all of us whom he had left with so many fond memories.
Kin and Rossana Lam
接到小明的來信時，真的嚇了一跳，不是兩三星期前才收到李煥的來信嗎? 陳正己和我対看了一陣子，兩人的眼眶都紅了起來。
記得在Los Alamos的時候，我發現那裏的中國人，人才濟濟，考上大學時不是笫一志願，就是第二志願，対我這實踐畢業的人來說真是一大震憾，而李煥則是人中翹楚。他有多大的學問，我不知道因為從來就不敢跟他深談，但我知道他能寫一手好毛筆字，下一手好圍棋，古典音樂，麻將，網球樣樣精通,他在White Rock 家的裝潢佈置及能保持的一塵不染更讓我欣賞不已。他很會種菜，更會做菜，每回知道要去他家做客時，就很高興。記得有一次在他家，我正不顧形象的大快朵頣時，坐在我旁邊的一位年青人很含蓄的跟我說”妳胃口滿好的嘛!!”。
想到李煥，就不能不提滑雪了，我們差不多是同一時候學滑雪，可是沒多久就看到他在”黑＂雪道上很逍瑤自在地滑了。當然他對我們這些滑雪友，總覚得恨鐵不成鋼，每次在滑雪坡上，碰到我們時，就想指導我們，陳正己還好，而我不是跌跌撞撞的滑下午去，就是摔個四腳朝天的躺在雪上看浮雲。所以每次在滑雪坡上，遠遠看到他時，腦筋只有兩個字”快閃”。
他対父毌的孝順是有目共睹的，対朋友也很講情義。當他知道我們要搬離加州畤，便表示想要買我們的房子，我第一個念頭就是完了，他這麼講求完美的人，怎麼跟他談買賣呢? 想想唯一的辦法就是介紹個當地的仲价給他，讓他的仲价跟我們的仲价商談。沒想到他一個要求也沒有就照原價購買並且事後也沒有対我們講一句怨言。 還有2008年他要回台灣前居然打電話要我父毌的住址，而他也真的在回台時的百忙中去看了我攵母親。 這些種種，讓我深深感到他對朋友的無私付出。
李煥，非常高興曾經有你這位朋友，再見了
陳正己，劉以麗
Huan Lee and me knew each other since the mid-1980’s when I visited the theoretical division of Los Alamos national Lab. We share common interest in fudamental physics. Huan is a very smart man. We argued each other on different physical topics, also about the modern history of china. Huan kept concern about the future of China even though he had lived in US for so many years. This is special for chinese and I suppose it is an important factor for China to last few thousands years continuously. As a contrast, I lived with an old lady when I worked in UCLA. She escaped from Germany in 1930’s and is the niece of A. Einstein. We also chatted different topics together. Once her hometown invited her to pay a visit. I asked her if she wanted to do something for Germany. Her answer is I am an American already.
Huan is strong physically, I can not compete him in tennis. The heart attack weakened him very much. But I never suppose he will leave us so early! Wish my good friend Huan’s soul enjoys another world.
Fan Wang
As one of your dad’s old friends, I was so shocked to learn that your dad past away. For many days, I do not know how to express my sadness. It was 1949 that I first met your dad, he was first year student of junior high, and I was second year in the same school. Both of us took train to go to school. The train started from a town name Su-Au where your dad lived, it took about half hour to a town called Lo-tong, where I lived, another half hour to I-lan, where our school located. We did not have much things to do on the train, but tried to make friends, talking and arguing. Your dad was very smart, and famous for arguing with anybody on any subject. Of course, he always won. Alternatively, he never gave up until he won. We always challenged each other with difficult math problems, your dad was always years ahead of the classmates on math subjects, we even helped high school student to solve their math problems. It lasted about 3 years, until I left the area moved to Hsinchu.
We did not interact much at Taida, because we were at different Departments. It was 1960 in National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu, we met again he was graduate student and I was a research assistant in Physics Department, we shared a nuclear physics lab, where he did his Master-degree thesis and I set-up for a lab class and did some simple experiments. During those 2 years, he was dating your mom, and I met Florence, both women were teachers at Hsinchu Second Girls Junior High School.
When we moved to Los Alamos 1978, we were so happy to know that your family lived here also. You remember that in the following many years, two families got together very often, at least once a month, and you became good friends with Albert and Lily.
Your dad was a particle physicist, I can not judge his accomplishments in that field, but I remember, at 1990s Prof. C N Yang visited LANL, several of us had a chance to talk to him, all of us introduced ourselves, when Dr. Yang heard your dad’s name, he said to your dad ( I forgot the exact words.) “At late 60s, you published an article about xxx (I forgot the title), if you follow up on this topic, you might have a break through.” After almost 20 years, Dr. Yang remembered the article; it must be an excellent one. Afterward your dad said to me, that he was sorry that he did not hear the comment 20 years ago.
At LANL, both of us worked on weapon test program, I had the honor collaborating with your dad on two papers about the efficiency of Compton detector, which was used for measuring gamma rays, a detector been used from the first bomb test, and for everyone since. Usually we use experimental measurement to determine detector efficiency. For about 50 years, many people tried to find a way to calculate it. Only until your dad worked out an analytical formula, combined with Monte Carlo method we could calculate the absolute efficiencies for all gamma-ray energies, which also agreed with experimental measurements. His work was an important contribution to the testing program. In the following several years, your dad published and/or reported in conference more than 100 papers about related topics.
I hope you can find copies of all you dad’s papers, if you can make electronics copies and make CDs. You certainly wish to keep them, and I would like very much to send copies of this CD to Physics Departments of National Taiwan University and National Tsing Hua University at Hsinchu for them to have in their libraries.
If you cannot find all of them, I will help you to search for them in LANL library, at least a list of them.
I am sorry that we cannot attend the funeral.
With heartfelt sympathy,
Hsiao-Hua and Florence
Please accept our deepest condolence; This is really a shocking news to me!
Lee Da Ge is always my life time idol: He is good in everything aside from academic work, e.g. basketball, painting, Chinese calligraphy, sensitive in political issues etc. Most importantly, he is a wonderful son ( I know for fact, he loves his father (stepfather) dearly until his pass-away). You know something? I always consider Lee Da Ge is a ” Guey Ren” of my life, namely, he is a person who helps me turning my life around significantly, without his advice, I probably never find my niche (mathematics) of my life. For that alone, I owe him dearly!
I promised Lee Da Ge that we would visit a historic city such as London together (it becomes clear during your last visit of NYC, we both love history AND we see things eye to eye) but because my active teaching I was hoping to do this trip later this winter or next summer(2013). This is a regrettable decision of my part, I AM TRULY SORRY.
A lot of childhood stuff starting to pop into my head: mischief, the way he walks, talks, playing silly in front of girls, his lovely parents and grandma etc etc. I am going to stop now before tears running down my cheek.
Please give me your phone number, so I can place a call to you before going to oversea (in 2 days) or after coming back.
Please take care of yourself
Regards,
Taen-yu and Mayloo Dai
Huan and I graduated from the Institute of Nuclear Sciences of the National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan, in the late 1950s and early 1960s, at a time when Tsing Hua “restarted” itself in Taiwan with the establishment of the Institute. Although I was 2 years senior to Huan and did not have the opportunity to meet him in Hsin Chu, we soon got together in 1968 when he came to MIT and later to Northeastern University in 1971 as a post doc in physics and where I had begun my teaching career in 1967. With kids of about the same ages and coming from the same background, we soon began a close friendship that lasted throughout the years. We visited him in Los Alamos when he lived with his father, and he came up to Boston on numerous occasions.
Huan had strong opinions on almost all subjects, which we often debated but mostly for fun. He was a strong “Go” player and followed all the latest developments in the world of Go from which I learned a lot. My wife Jane and I visited him at a rehab facility during his recovery from a heart attack in the mid-2000s and more often after he settled in Moraga, California. Jane and I have had the good fortune of meeting and getting to know Ying well after their marriage. We have always had the thought of how fortunate Huan was to knit the tie with Ying late in his life. Our last visit to their Moraga home was in March this year when he talked about with excitement the coming trip with Ying to Hawaii. We were totally surprised and deeply saddened by the news that Huan had left us. As a memorial to our friendship I attach a photo I took of Huan and Ying in 3/2007 on top of Twin Peaks in San Francisco.
Fa Yueh Wu 伍法岳
今天早上我們常往來的好朋友打電話來，說我們共同認識的老朋友走了！我遠遠的聽到太太和她的一些對話，趕緊開了電腦讀電郵，已經有好幾封從老朋友兒子發出的訃聞轉寄過來，確信了之後很驚訝，以為他度過了最艱難的病後歲月，在現代的醫學照顧下，雖不能像以前打網球、冬天滑雪，至少外出散步健身總可以輕易進行的啊！他離開了，我們大家都很感傷，說起年齡他大概也只有七十開外。
從認識他開始，二十年前有了，我一直稱他李大哥，他大我一個世代。我們工作並沒有關連，下一代在此的教育時段也無交集，所以很久一段時期僅止於本地中國文化學會辦的三節聚會場合才見面。
後來進一步的交往是因為打網球的關係，那大概在十二年前，我開始找找運動當休閒。我們有一個網球小團體，就是有興趣的華人朋友，週五晚間聚在一起打打球，主要是雙打為主，聯誼成分算是濃些，很快我對網球的興趣高昂。很自然的愛好網球運動，已經打了多年的李大哥就問我有沒有空也試試單打。那時我只要有球打就可以了，趕忙答應了邀約。此後我們每週總會找機會打一場，剛開始的一兩年，我自然被打得東倒西歪，他控球穩定東擊西進，因此我也練就了東奔西跑救球的功力！在切磋過程裡，我們談網球、談時事、談科學、談物理和諸多諾貝獎得主的生平及貢獻、談股市、談政治，談賽馬，、、，包羅萬象！球場上沒談完的電話裡接著說。
迷上了網球後，我到處比賽征戰，也贏了生平第一個運動項目的獎杯！接下來一兩年裡李大哥就再也沒有贏過我一次了，但是我們原本就以球會友，運動健身，這輸贏不會影響了對網球運動的熱愛。後來我們成立了網球隊，參加本州春夏時期的活動，總共打了十場比賽，跟四處不同隊伍切磋球技，每次有八位隊員出賽，同時打兩場單打三場雙打。李大哥賽前精密分析對戰球隊實力，和孫子兵法的下駟對上駟戰法，我樂於採用來安排隊員組合和順序，整季下來我們球隊有九勝一負的佳績！李大哥的滑雪技術一流，有次在滑雪場碰到，他很熱心的指導我和我兒子滑雪的技術。一個小時下來，他讚賞我兒子領悟力強，有前途！對我則搖搖頭。他曾說滑雪是人生裡第二件最快樂歡愉的事！
物理是他的終身愛好，他是台大物理系的高材生，他的年代裡，台灣大學物理系是第一志願，畢業後來美國在物理諾貝爾獎得主手下攻讀博士學位，所以專業知識上就不是學應用科學工程的我可以了解的。我們工作的國家實驗室，是在世界二戰時期，驗證愛因斯坦的質量互變定理而設立，當年許多科學家和後勤支援人員日夜努力研發，克服許多困難，兩枚這兒設計製造的原子彈，投擲在日本的廣島長崎，直接結束了太平洋對日戰事和二次世界大戰。李大哥在此任職時期，美國定期視需要，進行地下核子裝置試爆，他也在理論上發揮所長，直接貢獻物理學的知識。
李大哥接父母跟他同住，我認識他時，他的母親已過世。父親的晚年他盡力照顧，和我們打球時，他就請看護到家接手，所以我們得準時開打，對遲到大王我來說是個挑戰。後來的兩年他父親需要更多的陪伴和照顧，這也是他提早退休的原因之一。他也跟我說最後的日子讓他身心覺得疲累，在我看來他是位孝順的兒子。在他父親的告別式裡，第一次看到李大哥公子，和太太一起彈奏出優美的旋律為親人送行。等他的精神和體力恢復之後，開始找尋灣區的住家，因為他曾在那兒住過，也喜歡舊金山地區提供的藝文活動，說對他退休後生活的品質會大大的改善。經過一番波折，離開這兒的日子敲定了，我們球友為他簡單的聚餐送行。
約八年前搬去加州，開始享受退休多樣化的日子，可是才過了沒幾個月，李大哥在網球場上心臟病突發的消息震驚了我們，因為他的身體狀況一直很好！好幾個月之後，等他情況穩定，我打電話跟他聊聊，很明顯的在電話這頭，可以感覺到他的體力因為手術和術後多項併發症，真的受到很大的衝擊。四年前在網球場上我自己也經歷了急性心肌梗塞，隔年我在電話裡才跟他說起，也是他建議我改用另一種，說那個藥比較強力有效，我就跟我的醫生要求改用這個藥。他一直都是很認真很準確的個性，我樂於接受他研究過後的結論。
前年十月，我去利佛摩國家實驗室開會，我想到順路去拜訪李大哥，還有我們數年前已經認識的李大嫂。聯絡好了之後，我就安排行程去他住處看看他們。當時他看起來精神不錯，第一次和李大嫂談話，她十分有耐心，招呼這招呼那的。李大哥說起不久前回台灣參加大學同學聚會，聽來他十分開心。見面聊了數小時，天色已暗我起身告別。多年後重逢，我們兩個“一直看起來很健康的人”，都經過了心臟的大小手術，這人生也挺難預料的！當時我很高興親眼看到李大哥的身體已恢復得差不多，而且有溫柔關心他的李大嫂在身旁照料，我覺得他會有幸福的晚年。
這個突來的消息讓我很驚訝，心裡非常的難過。星期六早上我在院子澆水整理花圃，思緒飄到和李大哥相處的點點滴滴，很感概人生的無常。那時我就決定我將來要比認識的朋友早走，這難過和思念的心情，我就想自私的留給他人去承受！
李大哥是聰明的人，很愛將事情的真相追求出來，我想許多在他年輕時，就一起來往的朋友，在這點上可能有更多的往事可提起。我認識他時已經接近耳順之年，加上我是晚一點的輩份，他倒是以兄長的心情來指導我，提了許多人生經驗讓我參考，也時常給我忠告。如果要我簡單的總結，我想到一句成語來形容李大哥，就是擇善固執。要做到擇善，那要聰明和智慧；而能堅守自己的原則去固執，那得要有勇氣！
請安息吧，李煥大哥，讓你自由的靈魂翱翔在宇宙蒼穹，繼續追尋真理 。。。
陳樹榮
Ying is my cousin and we have many fond memories of holiday gatherings in which Huan would entertain and impress us with his vast knowledge, keen wit, and usually lively debate on just about any topic.
We will miss him, but remember him fondly and are thankful to have known him and shared some years with him.
Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with you now and always.
Lilly Li, Jonathan Luk and family
惊悉李煥驾鹤，愿其广寒倚桂，与吴刚把酒话人生辉煌。
痛怜周荧悲情，期伊节哀顺变，祈嫦娥舒袖拂眉锁心殇。
许敏舒
It was a big shock to us to learn about Huan’s passed away. We last met Huan in September 2011. Huan looked very good then. Huan was one of our best friends. He was extremely honest, faithful to his friends, and always had high principle. We shall miss him.
We shall try to be at Huan’s funeral on June 22.
With our best regards and wishes,
Shau-Jin and Ying-Ying
Ying is my cousin and we were fortunate to have the chance to know uncle Huan.
I was so impressed and inspired by Huan’s knowledge in Physics, and other nature science. He can talk hours and hours on his insight of Physics and astronomy.
you lost a father, we lose a relative, a teacher.
He will be remembered from our heart.
Jason Li
Good bye to my friend Lee Huan. We are classmates in the Tsinghua University, HsinChu, Taiwan. We still remember our first vacation in the US with Huan and Jean. We were all young, full of energy, adventurous and very exciting. It is the most memorable, enjoyable and unusual vacation. In 1963 summer after the class was over, we, Tong Ping & Shian-Wen, Lee Jennie (not married yet) and us all prepared to go to Yellowstone for vacation. Huan and Jean showed at our front door un-announced and Huan decided immediately to vacation with us. We drove 3 cars, no GPS, no reservation and checked in a motel in the late afternoon, played bridge every night till way passed mid-night. Our photos are all afternoon shots. It was free and enjoyable. After that we did not see each other often and only during conference or meetings in Boston and Los Alamos. A few years ago, Huan and family stayed in our home on their way to China. A photo is attached below.
Huan, we’ll miss you.
Charles and Lily Wang 06/10/2012.
I am so sorry to hear your news. Thank you for your email. I have some very clear memories of your father, he played Go with such an intense expression. Also for some reason memories of different flavors of things he had to eat, grapefruit segments, pigs feet, sour cream and onion potato chips, are very clear to me, as is the green color of remarkably healthy jade plants. I think he had a profound impact in many subtle ways.
Janice Kim
I have fond memories of your father, mostly from the fun and rousing times we had together as children in Boston. Your dad had an aura about him that distinguished him from the other Chinese dads– he was handsome and athletic (as was your mom!). He loved to test us on our Chinese, would try to trick us with math and Chinese quizzes while driving on long trips to see the New Hampshire foliage, and we all had fun laughing in the car. Thanks to your father, we have the famous saying: “Campbell tang shr hmm hmm hao!” I always had a sneaking suspicion that you guys had better abilities than us in Chinese, violin, tennis etc. because of your dad. I have great respect for your father, and will always cherish my memories of him.
Yvonne Wu
I’m very sorry to hear of your father’s passing. I still have good memories of staying with you in his house with his parents, watching the Olympics, and seeing him attempt to do an “L” seat in the kitchen like a gymnast!
Richard Dissly
Huan Lee was a good friend of many people in Los Alamos. He was one of the advocates for establishing the Los Alamos Chinese Culture Association. For a year, Lon-chang had the privilege to work with him, respectively, as chairman and deputy chairman of LACCA. During that period, Huan proposed to add several new activities, among others, the Chinese chess competition and Chinese calligraphy practicing. Huan planned, organized, and carried out these activities with great enthusiasm. These new items made the association activities more enriching and more popular, acquainted members’ children with various facets of their cultural heritage, and displayed to friends and members of non-Chinese decent the broader aspect of rich Chinese culture.
Huan loved to grow vegetables. Over the years, we had many occasions to receive from him and to enjoy his harvest. On several occasions, he invited us and other friends to dine with him and his father in his home. All guests were deeply impressed by his excellent cooking skill.
Indeed, in each of his endeavors Huan always tried to grasp the very essence of the subject and to excel. He was a person with tenacity and principle. We and all his friends in Los Alamos will miss him.
Lon-chang and Pei-jar Liu
I was saddened by the news. Living so close in Walnut Creek, I have never managed to renew our relationship back to the earlier days when we were roommates in Hsingchu, Taiwan. Mostly, it has been the traveling schedule that i have maintained that caused the omission. I regret it a great deal.
In his days, your dad has sought after many things. I admire him for he has always been one up on me in knowledge and ideas. Let me prepare to pay my respect for the final time to a friend. I hope to meet both of you.
Albert Yu
We were all saddened by the passing away of Huan. We met with him numerous times since he moved to the Bay Area, and found in him a unique personality with high moral principles, a warm heart, and a highly intellectual mind. Being a scientist, he often surprised us with his broad knowledge in many areas including history and literature. We deeply regret such a great loss for his family and friends around.
May Huan rest in peace!
Zujian, Xirong, and Niuniu
Huan is more unique in his uniqueness than most people. We are saddened by his sudden passing. But, I am fortunate to have so many fond memories of Huan that I can cherish forever. Broad interests. Deep conviction to the truth. Relentless pursuit of perfection. That’s Huan.
Once, Huan got into a heated argument with Shi-Yi about some social issues based on a statistical factoid. Disagreement was deep and a wager was quickly formed. Right place right time, I was asked to be the impartial referee. Took me some time to gather enough info and references to adjudicate the winner, which was Shi-Yi. I knew that Huan would not accept anything less than absolutely bullet proof. This must have been one of the most rigorous research I have ever done outside of work. Huan, in this very rare occasion of losing a wager, gracefully accepted the conclusion. And we got a great meal out of it.
Huan lived his life with high intensity. Friendship with Huan was simultaneously intense, stimulating, and uplifting. He has left many imprints in our lives. We will miss him, but we will remember him with a smile.
Cheng & Yenling
和李先生真的只有短短的一面之交。好像是一年多前他和太太来纽约。他太太是我上海护士学校的同学己有近三十年没见面了。那天他俩过来我们一起在法拉盛的木兰歺厅吃晩饭，从他走进歺厅的那一刻就能看出他是一个非常有思想和见解的人，给我留下非常深刻的印象。总以为还会有机会在纽约或西部再见面，他突然离去的消息让我感到难以相信。在此送上一位只有过一面之交的普通朋友的追思。愿他在天堂安息！
戎志芳
I’m one of your father’s classmate who was staying and working here at Taipei after our graduation from the Taiwan University, It’s really so sad to hear that you father had passed away. I can’t figure at all that the Reunion of our classmates at the end of the year 2008 will be the last time I met him.He was so happy and delightful then.
I’m now sending you a picture I took for the members of the Tour when we tour to the Sun-Moon Lake TaiChung for remembering him.
Best Regards
Wei Ping-Huen
My deepest sadness for my Tsing Hua classmate.
I was hoping to see you soon!
Ming T Lu
Our family is deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Huan, our beloved cousin and uncle.
Huan lived a life with extensive interests, unparalleled knowledge, and tremendous talents. His unique personality and passion for seeking truth propelled all of us around him to think deeper and work harder. His presence will be truly missed.
Please accept our heartfelt condolences.
Xiaowei, Qi, Joy, May and Lea
We are all greatly saddend by Huan’s untimely passing.
Huan is a very special person, a league of his own. We all know Huan is brilliant and he excels in many things he finds worth pursuing.
It is never dull to be with Huan. He has broad and deep knowledge about all kinds of subjects. Huan likes to argue with his friends, and I hate to admit, he is usually right and often wins the argument. Even if we do not always completely agree with him, he always had rather original and profound thoughts about many things. Huan holds high standards for other people, and even higher standard for himself. He is an idealistic person and a man of high principles.
Many of us spent the best years of our lives in Los Alamos. It was a time when we were all young, fearless, and thought highly of ourselves. It was a time when we were never too busy to get together with our close friends to talk, laugh, eat, drink, sing, hike, and fall on the ski slopes. We watched our children growing up, while growing older ourselves.
Huan’s passing reminds us what a precious era in our lives it was. I will miss Huan dearly.
Best regards,
Jen-Chieh & Tze-Huey
We were very saddened to learn of your father’s death. Words alone can not describe how lost and saddened we felt upon the news. Our heartfelt sympathies to you, Angie and your family.
We met him few times. He was a kind man with a warm heart. For a man who has left the world a son, a good father, a great friend as fine as you are is not a small accomplishment, for that alone we wish we could have known him better.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you all at this sad and difficult time.
Peace & Love!
Michael, Cindy