Grace Shiue-Ying Cheng

It is with profound sadness that the family of Grace Shiue-Ying Cheng, announce her peaceful passing on early Tuesday morning, August 18, 2020, in Walnut Creek, California at the age of 87 years. Grace was born on July 10, 1933, to Chu Min Lai and Pao Chu Ou in Chiayi, Taiwan, the beautiful island of Formosa. She attended the National Taiwan University receiving her nursing degree in 1953. She acquired her keen worldly acumen and nursing savvy from working on a psychiatric ward. Later Grace returned to nursing school and attained certification as a nurse midwife, bringing many happiness into the world. Grace credits her success in life to having interacted with people in all situations and from all walks of life. She understood maintaining one’s mental health is no less important than caring for the physical health. She took time to learn about her patients and their background, and always treated them with utmost respect, patience and compassion. And she applied this approach with people she met throughout her life. Because of her radiant personality and amiability, Grace was universally loved by everyone, and never met anyone who wasn’t captivated by her kind geniality.

Grace was a woman of multiple talents. In addition to being a nurse extraordinaire, she also worked as a professional tour-guide introducing and promoting the beauties of Taiwan. She also was trained in flower arrangement, culinary art, and interior design, all of which Grace put to good use. While Grace was a stay-at-home-mom after her family immigrated to America in 1973, she continued to explore new hobbies such as quilting and painting. She thoroughly enjoyed traveling, having trekked to many corners of the world with her last trip made in 2019 before the COVID pandemics changed the landscape of leisure travel.

Grace met the love of her life, Dr. Wan-Fa Cheng while both were at the National Taiwan University Hospital and married in 1956. They were devoted to each other and cherished their 46 years of marriage until Wan-Fa’s death in 2003. Grace is survived by her sons, Paul (Lisa) of Oklahoma City, and CAPT Jacky (US Navy) (Yumiko) of Yokosuka, Japan, and one daughter, Eme Tatsumi (Byron) of Walnut Creek, CA. Grandchildren Jessica, Mika, Miki, Michael, Lindsey and Sydney as well as a brother, nephews, nieces, relatives, and friends. She is preceded in death by her parents and an older sister.

Memorial service will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2020, at 10:00 AM at the Pavilion located at Greenhill Cemetery in Muskogee, Oklahoma. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation in memoriam be made to PBS Foundation www.pbs.org/foundation/

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