- Date Of Birth: December 5, 1934
- Date Of Death: November 14, 2018
- State: New York
Born on December 5, 1934 Departed on November 14, 2018 and resided in New York, NY.
CHEN YUAN HAN, 83, passed away suddenly on Wednesday, November 14, at Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of Leukemia.
Chen Yuan, affectionately known as C.Y., was born on Hainan Island in China on December 5, 1934. During the Sino-Japanese war, the family fled and eventually settled in Chengdu, Sichuan Province where C.Y. attended the Chinese Air Force Preparatory High School. His military training led him to Taipei, Taiwan where he served in the Air Force for two years. Then he enrolled in National Taiwan University and played on the university’s soccer team. He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Art History.
In 1960, C.Y. arrived in the United States to pursue a Master’s degree in Urban Planning at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. He moved to Poughkeepsie, New York and became a senior planner on the Dutchess County Urban Planning Board. In 1964, a mutual friend introduced C.Y. to the love of his life, Fragrance Hsin Pao. The couple married after a two-year courtship and had three children.
C.Y. enjoyed working with people and it showed in his professional life. In 1971, he opened New York City’s first Sichuan-style Chinese restaurant called Szechuan Garden. That was followed by three more openings on Long Island and New Jersey. In 1982, C.Y. sold his restaurants and entered the world of commercial real estate in New York City. When he wasn’t working, C.Y. was playing golf. If he couldn’t get to the links, he would watch the game on TV.
In 2000, C.Y. retired a month before the birth of his first grandchildren, Noah and Zachary Stern. Two years later, he celebrated the arrival of his only granddaughter, Hannah Stern. C.Y. enjoyed his retirement years splitting his time between homes in New Jersey, New York and Florida; traveling all over the world, spending time with his family especially his grandchildren, painting and writing Chinese calligraphy.
C.Y. leaves behind his wife of 52 years, Fragrance; children, Bernadine, Dalton and Yao; grandchildren, Noah, Zachary and Hannah and many caring friends. C.Y. was a loving father, husband, grandfather and friend to everyone. We will miss our dear Pa-Pa.
