I-heng "Stephen" Han

Stephen was born in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China on June 1, 1933. The eldest of seven brothers and one sister, Stephen did not have much formal education, worked in child labor, among other odd jobs, and almost died a couple of times due to severe illness and accident. In 1947, this scrawny 14-year-old with no schooling, money, or skills found himself a part of the retreating Nationalist army and landed on the island of Taiwan, the last hope of the Republic of China. Starting as a military automobile driver, after boot camp, Stephen quickly learned the ins and outs of automobiles and was promoted to automotive instructor, teaching high-ranking officers the fundamental principles of automobiles and internal combustion engines.

Stephen was inquisitive and diligent, trying to learn anything he could get his hands on. Through perseverance and some timely help, he was allowed to sit for the entrance exam in 1954 for the Army Engineering School (now a part of the National Defense University), which he barely passed due to a lack of formal education in all subjects, but graduated four years later at the very top of the class with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.

After graduation, Stephen gained the rank of lieutenant, worked as an instructor at the Army Engineering School, and was put in charge of the School Library in 1959. In 1960, Stephen made his first trip to the U.S. as a part of the group receiving air defense missile training at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. In the same year, he also met Pi-yu Chen (陳碧玉), whom he married on the first day of 1963. Their first son, Lee, was born later that year, and a second son, Jung, was born in 1964. Counting his blessings, Stephen and Pi-yu were baptized on Christmas Day in 1964.

In 1965, Stephen was admitted to the National Central University to study Geophysics and earned his first Master of Science degree in two years. Upon graduation in 1967, he joined the newly established National Chung-Shan Institute of Science & Technology (CSIST), Taiwan’s equivalence to a world-class National Laboratory, as a part of its first cohort of research scientists. CSIST also invested in Stephen’s advanced studies, allowing him to spend significant time in the U.S. leading teams of young scientists and engineers for technology transfer purposes and earning multiple post-graduate degrees at Stanford University (1971) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1975).

Stephen continued to work at CSIST on a series of cutting-edge technological projects in leadership roles. These projects led to advances in theories and, perhaps even more importantly, successful implementations that contributed significantly towards the safety and security of Taiwan and the balance of powers in East Asia.

After 31 years of distinguished services at CSIST, receiving more than two dozen medals of various recognitions and awards, a series of promotions, and the initiation and completion of many ambitious and arduous projects, Stephen retired in 1998 with his wife and moved to the U.S. to spend time with their sons and their growing families. They eventually settled in Knoxville, TN, and became active members of Knoxville Chinese Christian Church (KCCC).

Wherever they went, Stephen and Pi-yu served God happily and made many friends along the way. Stephen enjoyed every minute of the company of his grandchildren. One of his grandchildren remarked, very truly, that Grandpa was a pillar of his entire extended family. He was also a pillar at work for Taiwan’s safety and security. Stephen was certainly a pillar in every church he was a member of during the 60 years from becoming a Christian in 1964 to returning to the Lord in 2024.

Stephen was preceded in death by his father Guang-hong Han, and mother Bao-rong Li. He was survived by wife Pi-yu Chen, sons Lee (Sheau-fei Huang) and Jung (Shingyu Tsao), and grandchildren Steven, Michael, Rebecca (David Levonian), and Jasper (Chunchun “Vivo” Ye). Stephen was also loved by JD and Luna, two 120 lb dogs who knew him as “Grandpa."

Receiving of friends will be held for Stephen on Saturday, January 4, 2025 at Berry Highland West Funeral Home from 1-1:45pm with a funeral service to follow. He will be laid to rest at Berry Highland West Cemetery at 3pm.