Mei-Yu (Chen) Lee

Mei-Yu Chen Lee, M.D., M.P.H., a resident of Newton, Massachusetts and former pediatrician, infectious diseases specialist, and medical educator, passed away peacefully at Brigham and Women’s hospital on April 15th, 2025, due to a severe hemorrhagic CVA in the brainstem.

A service will be held beginning at 11:30 AM on Sunday, April 27th at Lehman, Reen & McNamara Funeral Home in Brighton, Massachusetts. The viewing and eulogies are expected to last until 3 PM, potentially later, depending on the number of speakers who will ultimately deliver eulogies. There will also be a send-off and ceremony on Monday, April 28th, starting at 10 AM at the Lehman, Reen & McNamara Funeral Home, followed by a drive by her house in Newton, then on to the Forest Hills Cemetery and Crematory for friends and family to accompany her (Monday’s ceremony and send-off will begin with Buddhist monks reading some scripture for Mei, before friends and family then drive to accompany her to drive past the house and then on to the Forest Hills Cemetery and Crematory; those who wish to accompany and be there for the sendoff can skip the Buddhist ceremony portion if they wish to just participate in the sendoff to the cemetery).

Mei was born on September 4th, 1952, in Taipei, Taiwan. She was the youngest child of 5 sisters and 2 brothers. Mei was a diligent and dedicated student, at the top of her class at Taipei First Girls High School, before matriculating at Kaohsiung Medical University, where she met a classmate who would turn out to become the love of her life, Dr. Arthur Mu-En Lee. Her career and life with him would lead her to the United States, first in California, where she had her first child, Sean, then to Minnesota, where she had her second child, Jay, and finally to Massachusetts, where she had her third and youngest child, Alex. She completed her MPH at UC Berkeley, residency in pediatrics at the Mayo Clinic, and then fellowship in Infectious Diseases at a combined Harvard-Dana Farber Cancer Institute program.

After nearly a decade spent arduously exceling in such prestigious training programs, and finally being offered clinical and research appointments at multiple Harvard Hospitals, she made the immense sacrifice to put her burgeoning medical and research career on hold in order to allow her husband to continue pursuing his research dreams at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; Mei chose to be a full-time mother so she could provide the most love and care possible for her children. She sacrificed her clinical and research aspirations at Harvard for the sake of her family but continued to work at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in a medical education and clinical exchange role between Harvard Medical School and her alma mater (facilitating operations of The Harvard-KMU Alliance).

Mei loved to travel with her family, whether going back to Taiwan to visit relatives or just nearby to view the cherry blossoms. She remained heavily involved in the Kaohsiung Medical School alumni community, giving back selflessly and enthusiastically to her alma mater over the years. She loved to cook healthy meals for her family, going on walks around their neighborhood with her sons and watching Taiwanese dramas together.

Mei was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Mu-En and her eldest son, Sean, as well as her sisters Mei-Ching, Mei-Chou, and Mei-Jean. She is survived by her two children, Jay and Alex, her brothers Adam Shen-Lung and Shen-Meen, her sisters Mei-Ti and Mei-Hui, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews from her many siblings. She also leaves behind countless friends she touched and blessed over the years with her generosity and kindness. Beyond her academic and professional success, Mei’s greatest achievement is truly her loved ones and dear friends, to whom she has selflessly given so much love and care, every single day of her life. She has always taken the greatest joy in helping others, and in caring for her loved ones.

For directions and guest book please visit www.lehmanreen.com

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