A 103-year-old woman in China has passed away after waiting for over 80 years for her husband to return from working abroad, as reported by international media.
According to a report on Monday, Du Huzhen died on March 8 at her home in Guizhou province, southwestern China. Her family shared the news through an obituary but did not mention a cause of death.
Before her passing, Du was seen holding an old pillow cover she had used during her marriage in 1940, her family told the Shanghai Morning Post.
Du was three years older than her husband, Huang Junfu. Shortly after they married, Huang joined the Kuomintang army and left to fight across the country. In 1943, Du found Huang and stayed with him while he served in the military until she became pregnant and returned home.
In January 1944, she gave birth to their son, Huang Fachang. Shortly after, Huang Junfu returned home briefly to attend his mother’s funeral but then left again for the army and never returned.
Although Huang sent letters over the years, the last one was written on January 15, 1952, where he urged Du to prioritize their son’s education despite the family’s poverty and reassured her that they would reunite one day. The letter indicated that Huang was working for a construction company in Malaysia at the time.
While her husband was away, Du supported her family through farm work during the day and by weaving straw sandals and cloth in the evenings. She refused other marriage proposals, saying, “What if he returns someday?”
“Grandma was illiterate and led a difficult life, but she was always optimistic,” said Du’s granddaughter, Huang Liying. “She would encourage my father and us to study hard and contribute to society.”
In the late 1970s, Huang Fachang became a middle school teacher after competing against hundreds of applicants. He passed away in 2022. Documents from Zunyi county’s overseas Chinese affairs department show that Huang Junfu settled in Malaysia in 1950 before moving to Singapore a few years later.
Authorities said they had no further information about him. Du’s family had made several attempts to locate Huang Junfu, including placing newspaper ads and hiring foreign agencies, but all efforts were unsuccessful.
Huang Liying shared that her grandmother seemed at peace when she died, as though she had experienced a reunion with her husband in spirit. The family intends to continue their search for Huang Junfu and his descendants to fulfill Du’s wishes.
