His father I-Ying moved to the US to pursue his academic studies when Sichi was young, leading to early childhood years of relative independence, and offering him plenty of opportunity to exercise his naughtier boyhood tendencies. Shades of this playful insouciance would emerge throughout his life. At the same time, this period instilled in him an ability to be self-sufficient, resourceful, and altogether handy.
Sichi, his younger sister Si-ju, and Pao Ming immigrated to the United States after the war, joining I-Ying in Tacoma Park, MD, where Sichi would spend his teenage years. He eventually headed to the University of Maryland, graduating with a degree in business, and becoming a lifelong albeit occasionally tepid fan of the Terps.
Following graduation, he was accepted into OCS, fulfilling his dream of service to his country as a US Marine. Commissioned as a second lieutenant, he served for 6 years including a tour in Vietnam, and earning multiple decorations. He rose to the rank of Captain prior to his honorable discharge in 1968. Family legend, or perhaps just the “romantic fool” side of him, has it that he would have stayed a career military man had he not fallen for and started a long distance relationship with a certain young teacher at Travis AFB.
Sichi and Nora Der wed on July 5, 1970. By then Sichi had joined the FBI, the 6th ever Chinese-American to do so. Stationed in the Seattle, New York, and finally the Los Angeles offices, he served as a Special Agent in the Bureau for 25 years until his retirement in 1994.
In retirement, Sichi worked on his golf game, devoted most weekends to the care of his mother in Corona del Mar, completed any number of home improvement projects, waited patiently for grandchildren, and expanded the family travel regimen beyond the well-travelled Newport Beach, San Francisco, Las Vegas axis. A favorite trip was the annual national meeting with his buddies from the retired FBI agents association, the last of which would provide the setting for his final days, where he enjoyed good food, great weather, and the company of cherished friends. In a final act of service, Sichi’s last request to be an organ donor was fulfilled.
Sichi is survived by his wife Nora, his children Michelle and Rick, his sister Si-ju and her husband Hal, and his mother Pao-Ming.
Donations may be made, in Sichi's name, to:
The Wounded Warrior Project: http://www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org/
The Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI: www.socxfbi.org/donations
Westminster Presbyterian Church Deacons Fund: http://www.wpcwestlake.org/ (checks only, please specify, "Deacons Fund")
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