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Life Story for Earnest Wu

Earnest  Wu
On Sunday September 17, 2017 a golden heart began to rest when Earnest Wu, MD., a longtime
Chelmsford resident, passed away peacefully in the arms of his wife. Over the past three years he valiantly fought a battle with cancer. He was the adored husband of Lee Larkin Wu of Chelmsford with whom he shared a love story spanning three decades.

Ernie was born in New York City. He was a son of the late George and Beatrice (Kuo) Wu. His education began in New York City as he was a graduate of Bronx Science. He furthered his education at the City College of New York graduating with honors in Chemistry. He then graduated from Harvard Medical School. He served his Pediatric Internship at Boston City Hospital. Also obtained an MPH from Harvard School of Public Health. He then joined the Centers for Disease Control in the Epidemic Intelligence Service. His full pediatric residency was fulfilled at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, D.C. Subsequently Dr. Wu completed an infectious disease fellowship at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA.

A short time later, Dr. Wu moved to Chelmsford, and joined the practice of Chelmsford Pediatrics in 1983. He was hired by Dr. Donald Berman who ultimately became his mentor and lifelong friend. While working as a pediatrician he completed a certificate program in acupuncture for physicians at Harvard University. After many happy years in private practice, he decided to move on to further challenge his clinical skills by becoming a pediatric hospitalist at Lowell General Hospital and then Concord Hospital in New Hampshire until his illness. He never stopped his quest for healing others even during his own period of declining health.

Ernie served on the board of directors with the Celebrity Series of Boston for nearly 10 years. He was also a board member of the Merrimack Reparatory Theatre in Lowell, MA. Dr. Wu was a member of the St. Botolph Club in Boston where he played several concerts and loved partaking in French night. Ernie was a former member of the Chelmsford Board of Health. He was a volunteer, as often as he could be, most notably volunteering as a pediatrician for China Adoption with Love and at Baptist Medical Center in Ghana. One of Ernie's greatest joys was spending time with his wife at his home in Canada where he loved trying to fish, dining and spending time by the lake.

Ernie lived a life without limits and was fortunate to experience so much. A quiet man at heart, Ernie was talented in a way that he never boasted about. He was an accomplished pianist having been a part of many concerts, both public and private. He was gentle, kind, selfless and had a sense of community too large to describe. Learning and education was paramount in Ernie's life. He was in a constant state of professional and personal growth. He helped everyone that he could both in small and grand ways. It was a life mission of his to make a quiet difference and a humble impact. Ernie's family, friends and colleagues can attest that his mission was accomplished throughout his lifetime.

In addition to his best friend and wife, Lee, survivors include a sister, Patricia (Wu) McCabe and her husband, Dr. Robert McCabe of Walnut Creek, CA; his cousins, Dr. Lawrence Kuo and his wife Dr. Elizabeth Kuo of Berkeley, CA, Dr. Steven Kuo of Seattle, WA; his nieces and nephews, Dr. Patrick McCabe of San Francisco, CA , Siobhan McCabe of Walnut Creek, CA; Stephanie Kuo and Atty. Daniel Kuo of San Francisco, CA.

A celebration of Ernie's life will be held at a future date and time to be announced.

For those who wish, donations in loving memory of Dr. Wu can be made to: House of Hope, 812 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01854.

Arrangements under the care of BLAKE CHELMSFORD FUNERAL HOME, 24 Worthen Street, Chelmsford, MA 01824.
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