Cheng Lu, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and man of deep faith & quiet strength, passed away after a courageous battle with Stage 4 lung cancer on April 20, 2026, at the age of 83. 

Born on January 25, 1943, in Fujian, China, Cheng was the eldest of four sons. He was raised in  Nanjing and later in Taiwan under the loving guidance of his maternal grandmother, Hsiu-Ching  Yang, whose Christian faith left a lasting imprint on him. He was the son of Ying Lu, a  Lieutenant Colonel in the ROC Air Force, and Ging Ung Lu, a nurse who served with dedication and compassion. 

In 1949, at the age of six, he fled mainland China alongside his maternal grandmother and his younger brothers, Tong and Chien, crossing the Taiwan Strait to Taipei to escape the Communist regime, where they were reunited with their parents and youngest brother, Ping. This early experience of courage and survival would shape the strength and perseverance he carried throughout his life. 

Cheng graduated from National Cheng Kung University with a degree in engineering, focusing on transportation. In the early years of Taiwan’s post-war rebuilding, Cheng served at the  Presidential Palace, working for the Taiwan Railway Corporation. 

As a young man, Cheng served as a Lieutenant during his two years of military draft service in  Taiwan. It was there, in Kaohsiung, that he met the love of his life, Hsiu-li, lovingly known as  “Meishiu.” He fell deeply in love, and together they built a life not defined by ease, but by commitment, resilience, and partnership. 

In 1969, at the age of 27, his achievements earned him a sponsored pathway to the United States,  where he would build the foundation of his family’s future. He later pursued advanced studies beginning at Texas A&M, developed a love for American football, and became a lifelong fan of the Dallas Cowboys. During that time, he adopted the CB radio handle “Chinese Cowboy,” a  name that reflected both his heritage and his embrace of his new home. He would later complete his MBA at Fort Hays State University in Kansas. 

Cheng forged lifelong friendships and worked tirelessly to build a foundation for his family. A  man of discipline and consistency, he purchased his first home in Peekskill, New York, and faithfully commuted into New York City. A man of great faith, he often spent his train rides in reflection or studying his Bible. He was a founding member of the Westchester Chinese Christian  Fellowship, and later moved his worship to Rockland Chinese Alliance Church of C&MA. He established a long and respected career as an accountant, spending a decade and a half with  Turner Construction Company before transitioning into entrepreneurship in the 1990s, becoming self-employed. He was also known for quietly sharing his time helping members of the  Chinatown community in New York City.

In 1996, Cheng faced one of life’s greatest challenges when he was diagnosed with leukemia.  Through extraordinary courage and the life-saving gift of a stem cell transplant from his brother  Chien, Cheng defied the odds to share another 30 years of life with those he loved. 

A man of deep faith and profound complexity, Cheng was a “jack of all trades” who believed in the power of self-sufficiency. He was happiest when teaching his children the practical skills of life: cooking, sewing, plumbing, gardening, and automotive repair, gifting them their first toolboxes as a symbol of independence. Though a man of humble means, he ensured his family experienced the vast beauty of his adopted country. He loved the American road, leading his family on countless trips from the shores of Cape Cod to the depths of the Grand Canyon. 

Cheng will be remembered most for his grit, unexpected wit, & charm. He was the man who quietly took the “burnt pieces” of a meal so his family could have the best, and the patient who kept the nursing staff smiling until the very end. 

His life was defined not by grand gestures but by steady devotion to his faith, his work, and his loved ones. 

Cheng is reunited in peace with those who paved the way before him: his grandmother, Hsiu Ching Yang; his parents, Ying Lu and Ging Ung Lu; his uncles, Paul Hsien Lu and Kwang Lu,  and his wife, Kathy Lu; and his aunts, Qiong Lu and Lih-Shang Wu. 

He is survived by his life partner, Hsiu-li “Meishiu” Lu; his four children, Christine “Joanna” Lu  (Kresh), Paul Lu (Susan), Peter Lu (Suzi), and Andrew Lu (Kristen); and his three cherished grandchildren, Joshua, Arianna, and Annabelle. 

He also leaves behind his aunt, Mary Lu; his brothers, Tong Lu (Nancy), Chien “Danny” Lu, and  Ping Lu (I-Ming); and his beloved cousins, William Lu, Henry Lu, Julie Bonsack, Sophie Lu,  Marianne “Mimi” Lu, Antoinette “Toni” Shindlecker, along with their children & grandchildren. 

We love you, Dad, and we entrust you to your heavenly home. 

Goodnight, Chinese Cowboy. 

Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home, 414 Washington Street, Peekskill, NY 10566 Visitation – Friday, May 1, 2026, 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm 

Chapel Service – Saturday, May 2, 2026, Door Open 10:00 am, Service Begins 10:30 am Interment To Follow – Mt. Pleasant Cemetery, 80 Commerce Street, Hawthorne, NY 10532 

In honor of Dad’s love and devotion, we welcome those who wish to send flowers or a gift. Your presence, love, and prayers mean the most to our family. Thank you. 

Zoom – May 2, 2026, 10 am. Passcode: 2026 Cheng Lu Celebration of Life