Anne Y. Lu Shen

Born in Taipei, Taiwan on August 11, 1951 to Mr. Chien Nien Lu and Ms. Wen Chen, she was the fourth of nine children. She attended Christ’s College in New Taipei City, Taiwan, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English.

She would meet her future husband, Joseph, at a college mixer event. They married in 1976 in Taipei, Taiwan and moved to the United States shortly thereafter. They lived in Los Angeles and Monterey, California before settling in Houston, where they raised their family.

Anne had a wonderful, tireless and patient way of teaching, nurturing and caring for children. Some would say unique but everyone knew it was loving and it made them feel special. Quick with a smile, she instilled in the children she taught, nurtured and cared for the importance of education, but also to make friends and have fun. She was always the most supportive and patient person, never complaining as she devoted many years to two kids who participated in every extracurricular activity imaginable, often at her encouragement.

For instance, despite not having any formal piano teaching experience, she taught her then 5-year old (and very fidgety) son the basics of piano, using a toy instrument piano while waiting for a real piano to be delivered. While a stickler for cleanliness, after these piano lessons she would let her son ride his bike in the kitchen and dining room area at a time when he was so very close to losing the training wheels. She would patiently encourage him, even though she’d wince as he was crashing into the walls and leaving tire marks.

She also taught her daughter the importance of strength and selflessness by example. She would sit nightly and help her daughter study for tests in high school just by listening to her recite everything from the process of photosynthesis to poems by Lord Byron, always offering helpful hints to help her remember.

Her way with children would also make a difference and be remembered by her children’s friends, as well as the children of her relatives and friends. Her commitment to her students in the grade-school level classes at Houston’s Evergreen Chinese School was remembered many years later after they had grown up, as they fondly recalled 陸老師 and learning Chinese on Sundays.

In the later years, as Anne battled the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease - with the love, courage, patience and selfless attention of her husband, children and others - she was still quick to smile, laugh and play with children. In times of struggle and loss, certain things endure and would never change.

Anne is survived by her husband of 38 years, Joseph Yu Hao Shen; her children Christopher (Amy) Shen, of Hong Kong and Janice (Michael) Shih, of Houston; and granddaughter Charlotte Julianne Shih. She also leaves behind seven sisters, one brother and numerous relatives and friends who love and will miss her.