Shih Yung Yen

He was born in Shandong Province, China, on October 8, 1929, the middle child of 3 siblings. Shih-Yung attended and received his degree in dentistry from China Military Academy in 1953, after it had settled in Taiwan from the war. He was assigned to work in a military hospital in Miaoli where he met his future wife, having treated her whole family. He practiced there until age 32, He married Yang-Kuang on October 27, 1957. He then set up own practice in Taichung where both sons Ting-Pwu and Ting-Wey were born. When the opportunity arose to emigrate, he jumped on it so that his sons would not have to serve the draft in Taiwan.

In 1966, at age 37, he brought his young family (sons 6,2) to Libya as part of a government sponsored medical team. Once his 3-year stint was up, he settled in Ethioipia in 1969, where he started a practice from scratch and grew it into a successful practice treating not only local citizens but many diplomats as well including several ambassadors, until he retired and emigrated to USA in October 1987. He travelled extensively while the children were small introducing them to Europe : Italy, Malta, Switzerland, Belgium, Germany, England and France and with his wife to India, Yemen, Hong Kong and Japan.

Since his retirement, he has stayed active helping his younger son with his dental practice, doing lab work, helped raise the grand kids, enjoying mahjong every weekend with friends and occasional trips to Las Vegas. With his children and grandchildren he has travelled extensively (initially bringing them and then having the favor returned and they bringing him and his wife), going on Alaska cruises, trips to Hawaii, China, Florida, Canada, In 2012 the family travelled to Taiwan together and even up until last month, Ting-Pwu had taken them to Las Vegas. He always said that his life consisted of sections of two decades: 20 years in China, 20 years in Taiwan, 20 years in Africa, and 20+ years in US. He was an athlete competing in basketball, gymnastics, loved ping pong and was an avid soccer fan. He would shut his practice down during the world cup and up until the very end was watching the quarterfinals in his hospital room. He had a great sense of humor and had a guffaw that would have the whole room laughing with him. His life was about his family and he will be sorely missed by his family and friends.

Shih-Yung is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years, Yang Kuang; two children; Ting-Pwu, of Saratoga, CA and Ting-Wey, of Surfside, CA. He is also survived by three grandsons: Collin (21), Adrian (19), and Matthew (8).

Services will be held at the chapel of Pacific View Morturary at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 11 with the reception immediately following.