Bob Yen-Ho Chen

It is with heavy hearts that we mourn the sudden passing of Bob Yen-Ho Chen at 31 years of age. He will always be remembered for his loud and infectious laugh and even louder snore. He was always the brightest star in every room, and took everyone under his wing. Unfortunately, Bob chose to end his life on August 9th, 2021. He will be greatly missed.

Bob is survived by his father and mother, Gary and Hellen, sister Ann, and niece Aspen.

Bob was born to Gary and Hellen Chen, in Taipei, Taiwan, on March 8th, 1990. At the age of 5, his family moved across the sea to Fremont, California where Bob graduated from Irvington High School in 2008.

Even at a young age, Bob’s personality was loved by all those around him. He won the Scott Ferguson award in the sixth grade, an award given to those who displayed exemplary leadership, kindness and faced new and challenging ideas head-on.

Bob was best known for his career as a competitive swimmer, beginning when he was only 7 years old. During his time, he held many records and received many awards. His record breaking time for the 200 Individual Medley at the Lost Dutchman Invitational in 2003 stood for 16 years. His passion for swimming continued into adulthood and his career as a coach spanned several organizations including Basha High School, Chandler High School, and most notably as Head Coach for Rio Salado Swim Club.

Outside of the pool, Bob is remembered for his appreciation of comedy - having been a part of improv groups and performing stand-up comedy of his own in his college years. He loved to cook and appreciated food from all over the world. You knew Bob best if you had ever shared a meal with him. Bob loved films and the intricacies behind filmmaking. He could often be found at the movie theater for an entire day, enjoying new releases. Bob also loved political discussions and was a constant advocate for change. He participated in We The People in high school and attended several leadership programs including the National Youth Leadership Council in Washington D.C.

His funeral service is to be held at Valley of the Sun Cemetery on Saturday, August 21st at 2:00PM. The Chen Family invites anyone who loves Bob to come pay their respects and consider sharing their memories of him.

In lieu of flowers, we ask that those wishing to honor Bob make donations in his name, to one of the following organizations:

• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

• National Youth Leadership Council (NYLC)

• Swim Across America

• USA Swimming Foundation

Valley of the Sun Funeral Home offers THE COMPASSION HELPLINE®, which provides, free of charge, 13 months of personal and confidential grief counseling. They are open for anyone who loved Bob to call, and their number is 1-866-649-9641