Randel Kingman Chow

Randel Kingman Chow passed away unexpectedly on February 22, 2024 at the age of 60. He was born on October 9, 1963 in Chicago, Illinois, the fourth of five children, to Lung Quon and Kwei Ying Chow. His parents and older siblings had recently immigrated to the United States from Hong Kong in December of the previous year. He attended elementary and high school in Chicago. He then graduated from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 1985 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Engineering. After working for two years as Software Quality Assurance Engineer at Electronic Courseware in Urbana-Champaign, he relocated to the Bay Area with his mother in December of 1987 to join his older siblings. His first job here was with Apple Computers.

During Randel’s software engineering career in the Bay Area, the companies he worked at included the aforementioned Apple Computers, Claris Corp., Acuson, The Windward Group, Visioneer, Aspect Telecommunications, Futuredial, and Polymorphia. Later in life, Randel became a tutor of various subjects, which included Math, English, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Music.

Randel was a kind-hearted and very patient person. He enjoyed reading, drawing, and writing stories. But he especially had a great love for music and performed with several bands over the years. Combining his writing and music skills, he wrote or co-wrote over 50 songs.

Randel was a big part of his nephews’ and nieces’ lives, attending their birthday parties, graduations, music recitals, soccer tournaments, swim meets, and weddings. He was also their tutor in school subjects and music, and worked with them on their science projects.

In recent years, Randel had worked as a caregiver and an administrator at his wife’s elderly care home. He and his wife enjoyed going to Belize. They vacationed there a few times a year and had planned to retire there.

Randel is survived by his wife, Madeline Chow; brother King (Jennifer) Chow of Milpitas, three sisters: Sharlene (Mel) Tolentino of Hollister, Wai Yin (John) Epler of San Jose, and Susan Chow of Stone Mountain, Georgia. He is also survived by 11 nephews & nieces and 13 grandnephews & grandnieces.