George Wang, a professor who taught Chinese at the University for more than four decades, died last week at 85 years old.

Wang, who struggled with Alzheimer’s disease, also worked at Yale University before he joined the GW faculty in 1965, The Washington Post reported. He died Jan. 24 at Arden Courts assisted living in Silver Spring, Md., where he was a longtime resident.

The associate professor left GW in 2006, publishing more than 30 articles for professional journals throughout his career.

Wang was born in Shenyang, China and was a member of the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association in D.C. A 1950 graduate of National Taiwan Normal University, Wang went on to receive a master’s degree from Tokyo University of Education, now University of Tsukuba, five years later.

He is survived by a brother, John Wang of Beltsville, Md., and sister, Mary Hseih, of Southport, Conn.