Mark Shih Chang Yuan

Mark was born on July 28, 1930, in Tainan, Taiwan. He had a wonderful smile, a deep, warm voice, and a heartfelt chuckle. He had and radiated a sense of solid calm.

He was brilliant. He earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from National Taiwan University, the country’s most prestigious university, before coming to America to earn his Master’s degree from Oklahoma State and his Ph.D. from Columbia University in the City of New York.

His specialty was designing some of the most complex robotic devices ever made for use in satellite launch systems. He was instrumental in designing the famous robotic “arm” that was the centerpiece of the Space Shuttle program and was awarded multiple patents for his work.

It was in New York where he met the love of his life and wife of more than 60 years, Esther, who had also come to America from Taiwan as a student. Together, they had two children, Robert and Jennifer.

He was immensely proud of his children and, later, his two grandsons. His son and daughter both graduated from Stanford; his son was accepted to UC San Diego School of Medicine; his daughter graduated from Harvard Law School; and his grandsons graduated from UCLA, Michigan, and USC School of Law.

He was also down to earth. He almost always wore a floppy fisherman’s hat. He was proud that his pants “were older than you.” He installed his own lawn sprinklers and he would merely chuckle if someone brought up his own achievements.

Besides English, he also spoke several other languages fluently. Growing up in Taiwan, he learned Taiwanese, then Japanese, then Mandarin. This made conversation at the dinner table with Esther, who shared the same linguistic background, unintelligible to anyone who did not speak all four languages; they would move seamlessly from one language to another, often mid-sentence.

He loved Japanese and Chinese food, but he also enjoyed pizza, burgers, and a good steak – provided it came with A1. He liked Japanese television. He was proud of his Taiwanese heritage, and he was proud of his new country, America.

He was a devoted husband and father. He cheered his children’s achievements and loved leading them on adventures, from fishing and camping to skiing, ice skating, baseball games, and weekend trips to his favorite store, Fedco.

But he also knew heartbreak. In 1988, he experienced the terrible loss of his son in a tragic accident. And although he never fully recovered from losing his son, he found joy six years later, when his first grandson (named in honor of his son) was born.

His joy doubled when his second grandson was born. His young grandsons were the center of his life, and vice-versa. He spent hours with them playing on the floor, blowing bubbles, and watching cartoons. He loved being their “Papa.”

He was comfortable and content in diverse situations. He enjoyed his work and he enjoyed his retirement. Although he chose to wear a floppy fisherman’s hat practically every day, he also happily dressed up in his tuxedo on cruise ships. And while he was humble and taciturn and never sought the spotlight, he would, with only the slightest encouragement, gladly sing for anyone who’d listen. Some of his favorites were “Bésame Mucho” (Kiss Me A Lot), “Kojo No Tsuki” (Moon Over the Ruined Castle), and “Long, Long Ago.” He also loved singing “Auld Lang Syne” every New Year’s Eve.

Mark meant so much to his family and to all who met him, and we will forever treasure our memories of him. He will be missed.

He is survived by his wife Esther, his daughter Jennifer, his son-in-law Michael, and his grandsons Robert and Steven.

A Celebration of Life for Mark will be held Friday, June 7, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Pacific View Memorial Park Legacy Chapel, 3500 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar, California 92625.