Eddy Shiang-Ruey Tsao

Eddy Shiang-Ruey Tsao loving husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend, passed away peacefully at the age of 87 with family by his side in his home in Concord, CA on December 20, 2020. Eddy was born in Nanjing, China on July 29, 1933 to a large family whose patriarch, Major General Tsao Jian Xiu, served as a high ranking military officer in the Chinese Nationalist Army. Eddy’s mother was Tsao (Li) Shun Gue. The Tsao family moved frequently during World War II and the Chinese Revolution that followed, eventually settling in Taiwan. In Taiwan, Eddy attended what is today known as the Senior High School of National Taiwan University and the National Cheng Kung University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering followed by two years of mandatory service in the Chinese Nationalist Army. Eddy emigrated to the United States in 1960 to attend graduate school earning a Master of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Idaho. Eddy started a career in the chemical processing industry in New York City where he met Mary (Burns). Eddy and Mary were married in 1965 and had three children: Gary, Lynda, and Karen. Although Eddy’s professional career would last almost 50 years and take him throughout the United States and across the world from Europe to Asia, Eddy and his family called the Chicago area home for almost 30 years. One of Eddy’s passions was tennis. He could be frequently found on the tennis court during his free time and played regularly into his 70’s. After Eddy stopped playing, he and Mary enjoyed tennis as spectators with a trip to the US Open in New York City and regular trips to the BNP Paribas tournament held in Indian Wells, CA. Eddy and Mary retired in 2000 and eventually relocated to the Bay Area of Northern California, close to Lynda and Karen. They enjoyed retirement in Northern California with their children and grandchildren with trips to beaches and other sites along the coast. Eddy and Mary also enjoyed international travel. Trips included cruises of the Caribbean and Mediterranean regions along with Alaska as well as beach vacations to Mexico and Hawaii. Eddy and Mary also made trips to Asia and Taiwan. These vacations often included one or more of their children and their families creating life-long memories together. In retirement, Eddy immersed himself into the hobbies of photography and painting. He always had his camera around his neck and refined his painting skills to be quite good. Eddy enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and looked forward to their visits. Eddy is survived by Mary, his wife of 55 years; Gary and Cynthia (Bezcek) and their children Olivia, Chloe, Dane, and Caden; Lynda and David Kuiken and their children Colin, Flynn, and Roan; Karen and Thilo Heckrodt and their children Maximillian and Leopold; sisters Jennie Jin Ling, Karen, Linda, and Grace; brothers Francis Shiang-Shin, Andy, and Wilbur; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. Eddy is preceded in death by his parents and older brother Alan Shiang-Yu. A brief service for immediate family was held on Tuesday, December 22, 2020 with plans for a memorial service for extended family and friends to be held in 2021.
 

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