King Hsu

King Fan Hsu was born on November 25, 1936, in the bustling port city of Keelung, Taiwan, then known as Formosa. The eldest of seven siblings—five brothers and two sisters—King grew up with a strong sense of responsibility. During World War II, as Taiwan was occupied by Japan, his family fled south to escape the ravages of war. After the conflict ended, they resettled in Taipei, where King began to shape his future.

After serving a year in the Taiwanese army in 1961, King pursued his education in chemical engineering. He graduated from National Cheng Kung University in 1963 and soon began working as a food research engineer at Taiwan Pineapple Corporation in Yuanlin. It was during this time that he met Grace, after delivering fresh oranges to her family. They married on August 3, 1964, in Taipei, embarking on a life together that would span continents and decades.

With encouragement from a coworker, King immigrated to the United States in pursuit of better opportunities, although immigration laws forced him to leave Grace behind for two long years. After landing in Hawaii, King first attended Missouri University of Science and Technology, and finished his education at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia. There, he spent weekdays studying diligently and weekends cooking in Chinese restaurants near Valley Forge. His hard work supported his education, and he graduated in November 1967 with a master’s degree in chemical engineering.

In December 1966, King was finally reunited with Grace in Philadelphia. Their family grew with the birth of two daughters — Belle and Candice. Soon, King’s career took the family to Cleveland, Ohio, when King proudly became a naturalized U.S. citizen.

In 1977, a new job took the family to New Jersey, first to Little Falls and later to their permanent home in Wayne in 1985. In 1979, they returned to Taiwan for a family reunion — King and Grace's first trip back since immigrating. It was a special journey, as he introduced his daughters to their extended family and shared with them the beauty and richness of their Taiwanese roots. Over the next few years, the family returned to Taiwan several times, as well as welcoming more family members to the USA.

A dedicated family man, King was always committed to learning. When his daughters left for college, leaving an empty nest, King surprised them by enrolling in evening classes to learn American Sign Language to communicate better with them. He had a passion for languages, over life learning Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin, English, and even a bit of German. His work in microelectronics earned him recognition, including roles as president and speaker for local societies in New Jersey, as well as accolades for his contributions to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Though he semi-retired in 2001, King never fully stopped working, taking on different contract projects. In his later years, he found joy in gardening, cultivating the best tomatoes, and indulging his artistic side by contributing pencil drawings of nature and people to local art shows. His interest in technology also grew, as he embraced computers and the internet as new hobbies. He loved celebrating his birthday with trips to Atlantic City to play penny poker machines, and frequent trips to the Jersey shore for seafood and sightseeing.

King Fan Hsu’s journey was one of love, resilience, and dedication. He touched the lives of many, leaving behind a legacy of hard work, kindness, and an enduring love for his family and new son-in-law Bruce, with 60 years of marriage, and his deep love of his new adopted country. He will be deeply missed but forever remembered by all who knew him.