Xiaojia Ge Obituary
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LInqin Ji
December 18, 2009
I learned the bad news about Prof. Ge two months ago, and even could not believe it until now. I met Ge for the first time when I went to US by myself to attended the SRA meeting in 2006, and his kindness and humility made me comfort. I met Ge last year at the ISSBD meeting, and Ge suggested to hold a workshop on longitudinal data analyses in China this year. It is so incredible that he left now. Although I have just met Ge two times, I learned much from the talking with him and will learned more from his work. Ge will be memorized, for his great work, and for his even greater soul. My condolence to Ge’s family, and hope you will find comfort and strength by knowing that Ge has influenced and be remembered by so many people.
Dachuan Su
October 21, 2009
Hi, Xiaojia, when Guogang called me from Beijing two days ago and told me you were gone. I was so shocked and stunned, I just couldn't believe it and couldn't image to hear news about you in this way. Yesterday, we(Guogang is in LA now) went to internet to see the pictures your family put there and see the guestbook with stories your friends said about you, we can feel you are missed so much by your family and friends. From 1982, the year you came to Xiamen University for your master degree, there are so many things for us to recall, things in Xiamen, in Beijing, in LA. in Las Vegas. and in Davis….. It is really sad and depressing to face the reality that you left us already, but the same time there are also so many funny, happy stories about you to be remembered. Your kindness, enthusiasm, support and loyalty to friends will be borne in our minds always. Guogang and I here just want to say farewell to you. Rest in peace, my friend.
Xiaorong Zheng
October 4, 2009
i did not know of this until today. Oh my God! I am shocked and speachless. Xiaojia was my former classmate at Sichuan University. We were in the same "political studying qroup" for 4 years. He was such an energetic person. I cannot believe he could leave so early. His extrodinary intelligence was so impressive back to then. There is no surprise he could achieve a great success in his professional career later. After graduate from college, we have never met again, but we did have one chance to talk on the phone for more than an hour. He ws still as energetic and warm as before. i have never imagined that I would hear his final news so soon. I feel very very bad today. I also feel very sorry for his family.
Irene Park
September 28, 2009
I first met Ge in 2001, as he was my faculty mentor when I was a postdoc through the Family Research Consortium. What a privilege and pleasure it was to learn from him! He was an amazing, generous mentor, the quintessential scholar, and above all, such a warm and caring human being. To this day, I continue to pass along what I’ve learned from him to my own students and colleagues. I mourn with his family at this enormous loss and join with others in extending my deep condolences to his wife Jenny and son Yijie. Yet, I take comfort in knowing that his legacy will live on through his family, his work, and through so many people whose lives he touched.
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Bin Huang
September 25, 2009
I came to know Prof. Ge through his research works. After following his research publications, which stimulated my interests in Adolescent research and related methodological development, I was thrilled that he invited me to have a lunch together at one of the SRCD meeting. Chatting with him is relaxed yet intellectually stimulating, challenging yet rewarding. Since then, the opportunity to chat with Prof Ge has been what I was looking forward to, and the highlight of my Adolescent research related conferences. I am deeply saddened by the heart breaking news.
Barbara DeBaryshe
September 19, 2009
I first met Ge when he was a grad student in Iowa. I loved talking to him about statistics! Later I was privileged to hear some of his life stories and came to full appreciate his strength, humanity, and kindness.
Jenny and Yijie, our hearts go out to you. Me ke aloha pumehana from Russ and I.
Elita Amini Virmani
September 17, 2009
Dr. Ge was an extraordinary professor and human being. I feel incredibly fortunate to have taken a course from him in Middle Childhood and Adolescence as a graduate student at UC Davis. He explained developmental concepts with a remarkable level of clarity and insight. Above everything it was always so delightful to run into him at conferences and professional gatherings -- he always had a genuine interest in his students and their well-being. His twinkling eyes and bright smile will stay with me. My heart goes out to his family. May you find comfort in remembering his greatness.
Christina Gee
September 15, 2009
I met Ge in 2001 when I was contemplating accepting the FRC postdoctoral fellowship. Although I did not end up doing the postdoc, Ge remained dedicated to mentoring me as an early career faculty member. He is truly one of the most generous souls I have have ever met. I remember being at Davis to work with him one year and having a lovely dinner at his home with Jenny. His witty, truthful comments always made me laugh. I hope that the family is comforted by knowing how many lives he touched in so many ways.
Brenda Bryant
September 15, 2009
Ge was a brilliant, hardworking, and kind scholar. He was multi-dimensional in his approach to life. He spoke simply amidst complexity; he enjoyed being with people and enjoyed working alone into the night on his data sets. He was full of joy while being able to access great depth of feeling and awareness of the needs of others and the ironies of life. He challenged students according to their talents and consistently acted on behalf of their professional development. He loved nothing more than being at home with his family while also choosing to ably engage with a community of friends. As I see it, he lived life fully and with straightforward integrity. Ronghua and Yigie were fundamental to his happiness in life; they were much loved and appreciated by Ge. I grieve for their enormous loss. As for me, I lost a very good friend whom I've been missing ever since he left Davis. I'll miss his e-mails and the conversations we kept up until a week before he died. I am so sad to say "farewell."
Lovell (Tu) Jarvis
September 14, 2009
I knew Xiaojia Ge as an associate dean. I once had the pleasure of negotiating an offer that retained Ge at UCD, and another time the sadness of failing to retain him when he chose to move to the Institute of Chile Development at Minnesota. He was an outstanding scholar, teacher and mentor, and a man of great integrity. He valued his family, friends, students and colleagues. He was an unusually warm and caring individual.
He was honored and overjoyed to receive an offer from the ICD, which he felt was doing the best research in the world in his area of interest. It was not easy for him to leave UCD, but he was eager to be a colleague at the ICD and to contribute to its programs. I didn’t want to lose him, as I felt he was helping us build a wonderful program. I knew that several of our younger faculty considered him an important mentor, and he was broadly admired, respected and liked here by his colleagues and students. There was nothing I could do to dissuade him. I respected his passion and his certainty and wished him well. I liked him as one likes a special person who has so much to offer and who is true to his soul. I am terribly sorry for his death. It is a loss to us all, but I am sure it is an especially so for his wife and son.
Beth Ober
September 12, 2009
I had the great privilege of knowing Xiaojia Ge as a faculty colleague and friend, during the time that he was with us in Human Development & Family Studies, at U.C. Davis. Ge was not only a top-flight scholar, but a wonderful, caring, and very mindful person, who always made everyone around him feel comfortable and valued. He had a terrific sense of "wry" humor/wit; and when I think of him, I think of him smiling... We will miss him greatly.
Sumie Okazaki
September 11, 2009
I had the pleasure of meeting and getting to know Ge through the FRC conferences and the UC Davis research group. He was, by far, one of the warmest and most generous scholars I have ever met. I loved his wonderful sense of humor and was touched by his devotion to his family. He will be truly missed.
Zhaoguang Ge
September 11, 2009
My family and I thank everyone very much for your memory.I am Xiaojia Ge's old brother from China Shanghai Fudan University.I think Xiaojia will happy in other world,because he has so much friends.
Huajian Cai
September 10, 2009
Ge laoshi is among the few people who have influenced me most in the world. Also, he is among the few people who know me truly in the world. He is great not because of his work but his spirit. In my heart, he would be alive forever,forever,......
Ron Dahl
September 9, 2009
Maya Angelou once said: "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."
Ge will always be remembered by so many of us because his combination of kindness, warmth, caring, and intellect caused us to have so many good feelings. He was a very special person, who touched many lives in gentle but powerful ways…
Eileen Neubaum-Carlan
September 8, 2009
Although I met Dr. Ge in person only once, he and I worked together via e-mail as he collaborated on publications with the professors with whom I work. He was kind, cheerful, and an outstanding professional. I am saddened by his passing, and I extend my condolences to his family and colleagues.
Kate Keenan
September 7, 2009
I am so sorry to learn of Ge's death. He had an unusual combination of assets including a superior intellect, genuine interest in many areas of psychology, warmth, and humility. I met Ge in Sweden during a small conference. Our hosts took us skiing and ice skating one day, and Ge looked like the quintessential professor - ice skating in his corduroy blazer. His seminal work will be part of an enduring legacy that will impact generations of psychologists.
Raija-Leena Punamäki
September 7, 2009
We had the joy of knowing professor Dr. Xiaojia Ge as our joint interest in the impact of economic recession on children brought us together. Our first meeting is one of our most cherished memories from scientific conferences. Without knowing who shared our breakfast table, we started talking about economic recession in Finland and our problems in handling our data. Finally we ended up drawing models together on the paper napkins - the only paper at hand. We Finns then carefully folded the napkins, brought them home and published our paper in Developmental Psychology. Later Ge visited Finland and we were privileged to enjoy his personal warmth and professional insightfulness. He will be remembered by colleagues and students. Our deepest condolences for his family.
Tytti Solantaus, Helsinki, Finland
Raija-Leena Punamäki, Helsinki, Finland
Margarita Alegria
September 7, 2009
Dear family members,
Ge was such an exceptional human being. He was a fantastic scholar and a generous teacher but it was his spirit that made him great. We will miss him terribly. He was such a great mentor at FRC, where I had the priviledge to work with him. My condolences, Maggie Alegria
Larry Harper
September 4, 2009
I had the honor of being a colleague of Dr. Ge at UCD. He was a wonderful person as well as a world-class scholar. We all will miss him. Our condolences and best wishes to his family.
Larry Harper
Lixian Cui
September 4, 2009
The first time I heard about Dr. Xiaojia Ge was when my teacher in Sun Yat-sen University told us Dr. Ge read Child Development and Developmental Psychology from the very first volume. I remember I contacted with him about applying to ICD of Minnesota in 2007 when he was on leave that year. I remember he gave me advice on which graduate school to go when I got offers from three US graduate schools. I also remember meeting him at SRCD 2009 in the hotel lobby and having a talk, listening to his speech at the Chinese developmental scientists gathering, seeing him around in the snack lounge...It was just yesterday!
He was such a great professor and a great man! Wish I could learn more from him.
Will always miss him!
Bo Wu
September 3, 2009
I was shocked by this news. Dr. Xiaojia Ge was such a kind, warm, humurous scholar. I met him at my first SRCD conference in 2003, he was such a wonderful friend and teacher to me. When I had difficulte time during my master and doctoral programs, I asked for his advices. He always responded to me promptly and wisely which helped me very much. I will miss him in my heart. ---Bo Wu
September 3, 2009
I have known Xiaojia ever since his postdoctoral days at ISU.I cherished the time I could spend with him during visits on the Iowa Youth and Family Project and on various collaborations. He set a high standard as a colleague and I shall miss him very much ( Glen Elder, UNC-Chapel Hill, NC.)
Sherryse Corrow
September 2, 2009
Ge had such a wonderful influence at ICD. He truly will be missed. As a student at ICD, I can vouch for us all by saying that we truly enjoyed being his students. Not only was he kind, gentle, and easy to approach, but it was also an honor to simply learn from him. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to be one of his students. Here's to a great researcher and a great man.
Susan Trigilio
September 2, 2009
Ge and I worked together in UCD/HCD administration where we so appreciated his friendly, but steady leadership. He took time to acknowledge staff so that we all felt a special connection. My sincere condolences to his family and colleagues. He lives on in heartfelt memories and his important work.
Andy Barnes
September 2, 2009
While my time being one of Ge's students was all-too-brief, I will always remember the gentle, warm man who was a teacher-scholar of that rarest variety -- always learning, always a student himself -- inspiring curiosity and wonder in those fortunate to be his students.
Bo Cleveland
September 1, 2009
For young scholars conferences can be difficult intimidating places. One doesn't know what to talk about, or who to talk to, or even why we are there. Fortunately, there was Ge in the lobby, welcoming us, somehow remembering us, and making us feel like we were part of something. Convincing us that we belonged. His kindness warmed every room he was in.
Mrs. C. Dunmore
September 1, 2009
To the Ge family -
I would like to extend my condolences. Look forward to the time described at Isa.33:24 where it says, speaking of a future time, "No resident will say: 'I am sick'"
God has never lied. All of his promises have been and will be fulfilled. (Titus 1:2; Joshua 21:45)
Carolyn Aldwin
September 1, 2009
Ge had an incredible mind and a huge heart. Despite his brilliance, he was always impeccably prepared and was one of the best scholars I knew at presenting cogent, reasoned arguments. We spent many hours at Davis talking about his childhood growing up during the Cultural Revolution, and I always felt that he epitomized resilience. He was also a man of honor. He came to the US with only $20 in his pocket, and told me a very funny story about skidding on the snow in his very first drive in his very first car and damaging another. Despite the demands of grad school, he took a job working nights at a Chinese restaurant to pay for the damage. I know that he was tremendously proud of Yije, and grateful to Jenny for her support. I shall miss him terribly, both personally and for his scholarship.
TERRY CHI
September 1, 2009
While a post-doc at Vanderbilt Univ., Prof. Ge was among the influential scholars that were invited to come to speak to us. His work in developmental psychopathology is a very good example of the weaving together of biological with the psychological processes. Being an ethnic Chinese psychologist myself, he was also a good academic model. He, his humbleness, and his work will be sorely missed.
Kimberly Carter
September 1, 2009
Ge was one of my favorite professors at UC Davis. Although my subject area was adulthood, his class on adolescence almost enticed me to change my life span focus. His great intellect was balanced by a warm and accessible spirit. My sincere condolences to his wife, son, and family.
Emilie Smith
September 1, 2009
I am heart broken about the loss of this very important scholar and wonderful human being. Ge is incredibly bright and gifted in methodologies to study human development. Also, he was incredibly humble in sharing his expertise. I recall his work with our Study Group on Culture and Ethnicity and his kind offerings of support. Ge will be missed! May his good work and beautiful spirit continue to bring joy to his family.
Denise Newman
September 1, 2009
Ge had a gift: he had a light in his eyes, a gentle persistence, and keen interest when he spoke with you - making you felt deeply appreciated. His scholarship represented an ideal marriage of mind and heart: he was clever and soulful. My own heart is pulled inside out at the thought of his loss and my prayers go out to his family and loved ones.
Richard Lee
August 31, 2009
I first met Ge in 1996 when I was a post-doc at UC-Davis and Ge just completed his first year on the faculty there. Over the years, we would connect at conferences, spend hours talking about research, and share stories of growing up and how we came to be, of course, all over a few beers. Then, I had the chance to recruit to Minnesota and I was overjoyed when he decided to come to Minnesota. I know he felt it was an honor to be a part of the faculty at ICD and I also know the faculty felt honored to have him on the faculty. Ge was an amazing scholar, mentor, and friend to me and to many others. The impact of his scholarship will continue for years to come. Perhaps most importantly, he loved his family, always sharing stories about his son, Yijie. I am heartbroken and wish I like others had more time to spend with him. He will be so missed.
Rose Kraft
August 31, 2009
The thoughts and prayers of many friends and colleagues from Davis are with you. May these help carry you through the loss of your husband and father to a time of happy memories.
Ann Masten
August 31, 2009
It was a great honor and joy to know and work with my dear colleague and friend, Ge. Along with my colleagues at the University of Minnesota, I was delighted when he joined our faculty. He brought great intellectual depth along with a love of ideas and teaching to the Institute of Child Development here at the U. We were co-teaching what would be Ge’s last class here in the spring semester when he became ill, a graduate course on the development of psychopathology, an area of science where he made lasting contributions. He was a great scholar and one of the finest people I have known. We had many wide-ranging conversations over Chinese tea during the two decades I knew Ge, which I will sorely miss, but I will treasure those memories and all I learned from him. And I will always remember the last special moments shared with Ge, Jenny, and Yijie. My deepest condolences to all of Ge’s family and friends.
Effie Kolbeins
August 31, 2009
The loss of such a great human energy cannot be adequately conveyed in mere words. However, my meager attempt is to say how truly honored and blessed I am to have known Ge. Ge was so altruistic and supportive of his fellow mankind. My heart goes out to all his family. I have a son who is the same age, and can imagine how much Ge wanted to be physically on this earth for his son. I believe that Ge’s energy was too great to be bound by earthly limitations and that the love, accomplishments, and altruistic care that was Ge, is indeed still here with all of us.
Rita Lundin
August 31, 2009
Dr. Ge was my first boss here at UC Davis. His patience, encouragement and wisdom inspired me daily. He loved his work and had a very strong work ethic. He was a man of integrity and I'm very thankful for the few years we shared together. With great emotion, Rita
David Reiss
August 30, 2009
Ge was a loyal colleague whose integrity and razor sharp mind will remain an insparation to all of us who admired and loved him. My heart goes out to his wife, son, mother and siblings. May they be comforted by memories of him and by the love of their friends
David
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