Obituary of Che Chung Chow

Che Chung Chow Che Chung Chow peacefully passed away Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 2020, at age 85. He is survived by his devoted wife of 60 years Betty; daughter, Rebekah (Sean); grandson Keegan; brother Che Wah (Virginia) and sister Dora (Herbert) Tsang; aunt Lam Jim Yun; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents Chow Yip Chiu and Lam Jim Pui of Hong Kong. Che Chung was born on February 6, 1935, in Shanghai, China. His family settled in Hong Kong after World War II. Che Chung was the oldest of his siblings. Che Chung learned to play the piano from his aunt (Lam Jim Yum) and even won the top prize in a music competition during high school. His love for piano and classical music lasted a lifetime. Che Chung went to Hong Kong University for his undergraduate degree and instead of going to England for graduate school like many of his peers, decided to come to the United States. Brown University admitted their first student from Hong Kong when they accepted Che Chung into their Ph.D. program. One year later, Brown accepted his girlfriend Betty So when she applied for graduate school. Che Chung and Betty married in 1960 after she arrived in Rhode Island. Following graduate school, Che Chung and Betty moved to Wilmington, Delaware where he worked for the DuPont Company for several years. In 1970, Che Chung accepted a job at Xerox Corporation and, along with Betty and their daughter, moved to Rochester. Che Chung would go on to spend 28 years at Xerox. There he had a successful career as a research chemist and was awarded numerous patents. Che Chung was active in his faith from a young age from youth group, college fellowship where he gained life-long friends and in the church throughout his adult life. He spent many years serving as a deacon and singing in the choir. Upon retirement, Che Chung and Betty enjoyed traveling throughout the world with many friends and relatives. Che Chung was a gentle, reserved man who cared about the well being of others and had a heart for college missions programs. During his time in Rochester, Che Chung and his wife also provided active support and assistance to international college students who came to the United States to study in Rochester. Che Chung will be missed by the countless friends he made over the years. A special note of thanks to the staff at The Maplewood who lovingly provided excellent care to Che Chung in his final years. A memorial service will be held at a future date to be announced. In lieu of flowers, those wishing may direct donations to: Rochester Chinese Christian Church, with a special note to the missions fund. 1524 Jackson Rd. Penfield NY 14526