Daoxin Zhan

1928 - 2013

Daoxin Zhan, 84, died at home in Fairbanks on Monday, Jan. 14, 2013, from advanced Parkinson's disease.
Born June 25, 1928, in Yi-Yong, Jiangxi, China, he moved to Chang Shi, Hunan, China, where he attended the Xiang-Ya Medical College and graduated as a medical doctor in 1954.
Dr. Zhan worked in the Affiliated Hospital of Wuhan Iron and Steel Company as attending doctor and head of the medical department. Soon, he was promoted as deputy director of the hospital in charge of all clinical activities. He held that position for 30 years until his retirement in 1976.
On March 5, 1956, he married JiaoRu Yang, a pharmacist in the same hospital.
He lived in many different places including, Yi-Yang, JaingXi, Chang Shi, Hunan, Wuhan and Hubei, China; Galveston, Texas; Omaha, Neb.; and Kansas City, Mo., before settling in Fairbanks, where he lived with his son for the past eight years, enjoying retirement life.
Dr. Zhan enjoyed fishing a lot during his life, in China and the United States.
Dr. Zhan was an internal medicine physician, specializing in cardiovascular medicine. He treated and saved the lives of many during his 40 years of medical practice in Wuhan, China.
He enjoyed writing books and articles about popular medicine. He published several books and nearly 100 articles in peer-review journals and newspapers.
Dr. Zhan will be especially remembered for his work ethic, his quick analytic skills and his broad knowledge in treating patients, and for his way of putting hospital duty as first priority, always.
A great father and wonderful husband, he was deeply loved by family members, colleagues and students.
Survivors include his wife, of 56 years, Jiaoru Yang, of Fairbanks; sons, Shawn X. (Shelly X. Chen) Zhan, of Fairbanks, Xiaoming Zhan, of Canada; grandchildren, Jeff A. Zhan, of Fairbanks, Yang Zhan, of Chicago, Lisa Zhan, of Canada, and Xiaoming Zhan of Canada, and his brother, Doayi (Sheng Lan) Zhan, of China.
Private family services were held Jan. 16, 2013, at the Fairbanks Funeral Home.
Arrangements were entrusted to Fairbanks Funeral Home.