Professor Yi Luo, 64, passed away on Feb. 13, 2022.
Yi lived an adventurous and fulfilling life. He was born in rural Xixiang county in Shaanxi, China, to a family of educators. Through his brilliance and hard work, he moved to America in 1983 to pursue higher education.
Yi was a wonderful and caring father to two children, Kevin and Ruth. He instilled in them the values of education, honesty, hard work and creativity. Along with his kids, Yi is survived by his siblings, Hui and Kai, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Yugao, and his younger sister Yun. Yi was a true pillar of his family both in America and China.
Yi moved to Morgantown for his PhD in mining engineering at West Virginia University in 1985. He fell in love with the town and the university and would remain there for the rest of his life, working as a professor at his alma mater. He dedicated his life to teaching students of all levels and remained close to several of them, even decades after they graduated. He was a prolific researcher with over 100 published manuscripts. Moreover, he was pivotal in moving several young scholars from China to the United States so they could have the same opportunities that he did.
Outside of teaching and research, Yi had many creative hobbies, including drawing, photography, writing, cooking and singing. He loved to play volleyball every weekend with his students and colleagues. Every Thanksgiving, he would single handedly cook dinner in his home for about 20 students.
We hope Yi will be celebrated for his kindness and service as well as his academic accomplishments. He was an inspiration for many of us, and he would love for his legacy to live on in his students, friends and family.
In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be sent for a future WVU scholarship under Professor Yi Luo’s name.
Caring services are being provided by Dering Henson Funeral Home.
Condolences:
www.dering-henson.com
