Dr. Shia "Paul" Kuan

Dr. Shia “Paul” Kuan passed away peacefully in his sleep on August 8, 2011 after a long battle with cancer. He was the beloved husband of Jui-Chang “Rae” Kuan, father of Nolan, and father-in-law to Theresa.

Paul was born in Canton, China where he spent his childhood. When the Communists gained power in China, Paul and his family fled to Taiwan where he attended Taiwan Chung Hsing University studying Agricultural Chemistry. After graduating from college he went to work at Taiwan Sugar Company as a research chemist. In 1963 he left Taiwan to pursue a PhD in biochemistry in the United States at the University of West Virginia. After attaining his degree in 1967, he accepted a post-doctoral fellowship at the Louisiana State University of New Orleans, now University of New Orleans, eventually attaining the position of a co-principal investigator on several bio-analytical and clinical chemistry research projects. In 1972 he met his wife Rae and they were married in 1973 and Nolan was born soon after in 1975. After working for 13 years at UNO, Paul accepted a position as Director of Natural Toxin Research Center at the US Food and Drug Administration in New Orleans in 1980 and worked there for 15 years before retiring in 1995. During that time he was appointed as an adjunct professor at UNO and an honorary professor of Sanitary Technology at West China University of Medical Sciences Chendu China.

Paul really enjoyed cooking various types of Chinese food. When he was a bachelor, all of his friends would gather to eat his various gourmet creations. Always the gracious host, Paul made it a point to ensure his guests were well fed and never hungry, something that he continued to do his entire life. He even planted his own garden with Chinese vegetables because he could not buy them at the local markets. He was active in the local Chinese community, always willing to give a helping hand, and even served as the chairman of the local chapter of the Chinese American Association. Paul faithfully attended 8am Sunday mass at St Ann Church in Metairie and has been married to Rae for the past 38 years.

Relative and Friends of the family are invited to attended a memorial service at St. Ann Church at 3601 Transcontinental in Metairie on Saturday August 13 at 11am. Visitation will take place from 9am to 11am. Interment will follow at Garden of Memories on Airline Highway. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you pay tribute to Paul by making a Memorial Gift donation to the American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org or 1-800-227-2345.