Feng Kuo

Joan Kuo, 87, of North Little Rock, passed away on December 20, 2016. Joan was born in Anhui, China and was one of four children growing up in one of the most tumultuous times in China's history. After much pleading with her family, she was allowed to attend school, a privilege usually extended only to male children at that time in her village. She excelled in her academic pursuits, until her education was cut off by the invasion of China by the Japanese in the late 1930s prior to World War II. She immigrated to the United States as the nanny to a Chinese Ambassador in 1947 at the age of 18.

Joan lived most of her life in New York City and married her husband, Ah Chong in 1950. She spent most of her years primarily caring for her 2 children, Lucy and Irving. She also worked for 18 years at the Bulova Watch Company as a watch assembler in their factory. Despite having only 6 years of formal education, she was a voracious reader and was a fan of the Chinese classics as well as modern western works such as The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, The Hunger Games and Twilight. She worshipped at several Buddhist temples in New York. Upon retirement, she travelled extensively with her husband and friends throughout Europe and Asia, often retuning to her hometown in China to visit with her family. She was a cancer survivor, having been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1994.

Joan moved to North Little Rock in 2013 to live with her son Irving and daughter in law Teri. She spent much of her time accompanied by 3 puppies - Dante, Hermione and Annabelle - whom she grew to love as her own children. She touched the souls of many people during a long and fulfilling lifetime. There will be a memorial service celebrating her life on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 at 6:00pm at the Smith - North Little Rock Funeral Home, 1921 Main Street, North Little Rock, Arkansas 72114. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Animal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, reflecting Joan's love for the 3 puppies that were her constant companions.
Online obituary at www.SmithFamilyCares.com