Mei-Ying Baustian

Mei-Ying “Ming” Baustian (nee Tsai), 89, of Davenport, Iowa passed away Sunday, August 16, 2020 at UnityPoint Health/Trinity Bettendorf after a sudden illness. Ming’s devoted daughter Jaye and grandson Zach were bedside during her final moments.

Private family services will be held Saturday, August 22, 2020 at 1:00pm at Halligan-McCabe DeVries Funeral Home. Burial to follow in Davenport Memorial Park where she will be laid to rest next to her husband, Richard. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Ming’s name to the American Heart Association. Online tributes and condolences may be made at www.hmdfuneralhome.com. where a full obituary is posted.

Ming was born in the Chinese province of Fukien in the town of Amoy on December 19, 1930. After the death of her father when she was two years old, Ming, her two older siblings, and mother moved to Kobe, Japan. It was there, that she would meet the only man she ever loved, Richard Baustian (from Eldridge, Iowa), who was stationed there working as an Agent in the Criminal Investigation Division for the U.S. Army. The two wed on May 22, 1950, and in 1956 they left Kobe with their young son, Bob, embarking on a 6,400 mile journey to the United States. It was a two week journey by ship, plane, and car with stops in San Francisco, Chicago, and finally Eldridge, Iowa, before eventually settling in Davenport.

She became a naturalized citizen on October 2, 1961. The following year, she walked the runway as a Siamese Princess at a fashion show at the Masonic Temple in Davenport. The couple hosted many dinner parties where the alcohol flowed and authentic Chinese cuisine (all prepared by Ming) was served and enjoyed by all. She was also known for maintaining an obsessively clean home. Even the “junk” drawer was always neatly organized. She learned to drive in 1985, but was only comfortable driving within a five mile radius of her home and kept her car as immaculate as her house.

In her later years, she enjoyed outings with a close circle of friends which included bingo, lunches, and shopping. She was an avid Atlanta Braves baseball fan until recently when she changed her allegiance to the Chicago Cubs.

Dubbed “small, but mighty” by her family, she was fiercely independent and lived life on her own terms. Even after advancing age started to take its toll, she battled back from several health scares and continued to live at home by herself until the end.

She will be forever missed by son Bob (Deb) and daughter Jaye; three grandsons, Kevin (Amber), Ben, and Zach; and one great grandson, Dylan. Ming was predeceased by her parents, siblings, her husband Richard (1988) and son-in-law, James Stoffer (2019).

“The mother is everything - she is our consolation in sorrow, our hope in misery, and our strength in weakness. She is the source of love, mercy, sympathy, and forgiveness. He who loses his mother loses a pure soul who blesses and guards him constantly.” - Khalil  Gibran