Shen Chuan Yuan

Shen Chuan Yuan (袁森泉)was born in 1920 in the village of Xingden (新登), China, 20 miles outside of the City of Hangzhou. His father was a landowner and a Chinese herbal doctor. He had an older sister and 2 younger brothers. He graduated from Hangzhou High School in 1939. During the Japanese war, he went to the city of Chongqing to attend Jiaotong (交通)University and graduated in 1945 with a civil engineering degree. He worked for the National Railroad Bureau in Xian until 1948 when he was transferred to Taiwan Railroad Bureau. Before departing, His college classmate introduced him to Hazel Chien (錢海若)in Shanghai. Through courtship by letters, Hazel decided to join him in Taipei. They were married in 1949 and raised 3 sons and one daughter.

He worked for Taiwan Railroad, Taiwan Fertilizer and Taiwan Power Shihmen (石門)Reservoir project until 1962 when he was admitted to University of Colorado graduate school of engineering master’s program. After graduation, he was hired by Stearns Roger Engineering Consulting Company in Denver as a structural engineering manager. The company appreciated his contribution and applied immigration for the family. Hazel and the 4 children join him in 1965. He worked for Stearns Roger and its subsequently merged company until retirement in 1985. He continued to work part-time until 1996.

He and Hazel worked all their lives to support their children and instilled work ethics and the spirits of being kind and generous to others. He always said government and society do not owe us anything because we were Chinese immigrants. United States offered us the best opportunity to move from poor to well-to-do in one generation. He sponsored many friends and relatives for their immigration applications. He also performed volunteer works and was a frequent donor to many Asian professional and social organizations.

Shen Chuan was a global traveller. He and Hazel had been on ocean cruises over 20 times to almost every corner of the world. He even hosted 3 cruises for the extended families. He enjoyed food and can eat everything, but was especially fond of sea cucumber, soft shell tortoise, freshwater eel and pig trotter cooked in the Xingden village style by his relatives.

Shen Chuan attributed his longevity to growing up in the countryside with clean water and air. The family grew their own vegetables, animal stocks and fishes and was served what we know today as farm to table style. He also believed that the lord would award those who do good for others. Shen's wife Hazel passed away in April 2019. He is survived by and will be remembered by his four children, their spouses, 7 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, as well as many friends.