Shuhai Hou

Shuhai was born on September 7, 1971 in Zibo, Shandong, China to Shili Hou and Yunfeng Wang. After graduating from Xi'an Jiaotong University, Shuhai moved to the United States in 2001 and received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. For over 20 years, Shuhai worked as a Development and Research Engineer at Caterpillar.

The youngest of three children, Shuhai was admired for his brilliance and bright spirit. During his childhood, Shuhai spent his summers learning to garden on his grandparents' farm, where he came to value the beauty of growing things. After moving to the United States, he continued to garden, sharing his harvest with neighbors and friends. Though Shuhai found joy in the quiet work of gardening, his greatest joy came from the way it connected him with those he loved.

Shuhai always had a grand love for his life; he approached everything with boundless curiosity and had an appreciation for the little things. Finding peace in the quietness of the wildlife refuges in Peoria, Shuhai loved to fish and dedicated many weekends to hours by the water. He also loved playing poker - a game that brought Shuhai a way to challenge his mind and share laughter with old friends. As someone drawn to science, Shuhai also had a deep fascination for the universe, oftentimes pondering the vastness and infinite possibilities of space. Shuhai dedicated much of his life to his many passions, yet the most important thing in his life was always his family.

Shuhai is survived by his wife, Yanling; their daughter, Ellen; his mother, Yunfeng; his sister, Linxia; and his brother, Shubo.

We would like to remember Shuhai with joy - for his love of life and kind energy. A memorial service will be held for Shuhai at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, August 13, at the Davison-Fulton-Woolsey-Wilton Funeral Home, with visitation beginning at 4:00pm.

To honor Shuhai’s love for nature, we would like to dedicate any donations to a memorial in one of Shuhai’s favorite local parks. All donations can be accepted at the PayPal email below or with checks written out to “Ellen Hou”.

PayPal: [email protected].