Obituary of Anna R Chen

Anna Ruhua Chen was born in Fujian, China (Mingxi County) to scholar Deyuan Chen (father) and Sanyu Ye Chen (mother) on March 02, 1928.

She told stories of being the third of six daughters and making the rounds with her father who was a nationalist democrat local official.  Formal education for daughters was very unusual at that time. Anna had to live with all the difficulties of attending high school during the Sino-Japanese War.  She stayed with her eldest sister, Ru Jian,  in Fuzhou during that time.

She told a favorite story of leaving China from Fuzhou, at the end of the civil war between the Nationalists and the Communists, on a military landing craft and cargo ship, with her friend, Yokung Ho, who remained her friend for the rest of her life.  She arrived in Taipei, Taiwan and joined her younger sister Ru Yun Chen. They never saw their parents again.

Anna studied hard on her own and passed the very competitive pre-employment exams and obtained a sought after position at the Taiwan Telephone and Telegraph Bureau.  She met her future husband, Richard Tse Ching Chen, in an English class in Taipei. They were both from Fujian, had Fuzhou in common, even had the same last name!  They married after Richard completed his national military service in 1959. They had two children, Judy Shan-Shan and Warren E-Ren.  In 1972, Richard came to the US, and the following year, Anna and the children followed.

Anna worked in many capacities in order to support the family: she strung bead necklaces, knitted sweaters with a knitting machine, after coming home working as an accounting clerk.  Eventually, she became a small business owner selling semi-precious stone jewelry and gold/silver jewelry in an indoor flea market before she retired. 

After Richard semi-retired, they were able to do a little more traveling: to Prescott, Arizona to see their son, Warren;  to Bermuda; and, they visited Taiwan.

After her husband Richard passed away on 10/22/2010, Anna came to live with her daughter in Poughkeepsie New York, and she spent her last days there.

She was predeceased by her husband, Richard T.C. Chen; 3 of her sisters (Ru Jiao, Ru Yun, and Ru Rong.), China.

She is survived by her sister, Ru Sui, Fuzhou, China. 

She is survived by her brother-in-law, Hang Yuan Wang who was married to Ru Yun, Taipei, Taiwan.

She is survived by her daughter, Judy Johnson and her husband, Greg Johnson, Poughkeepsie, New York, and their son Zachary Johnson, Liverpool, New York. She is survived by her son, Warren Chen and his partner, Jeanne Watkins, Prescott, Arizona.

She is survived by nephew Chi-Yang Liaw and his wife, Wei-Yee, and their daughter, Jane Liaw, Walnut Creek, California.

She is survived by her niece, Anne Wang and her husband, Ted Lo, Taipei, Taiwan, and their daughter Claire Lo, Denver, Colorado; She is survived by her nephew, Tony Wang and his wife, Francis, Taipei, Taiwan and their son, Daryl Wang, Massachusetts.

She is survived by various nieces and nephews, grand nieces or nephews, China,

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, October 26, 2023 from 4 to 7pm at Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home, 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 27th, 2023,  at 11am at the Mid Hudson Chinese Christian Church, 306 All Angels Road, Wappingers Falls. Burial will be at the convenience of the family. Arrangements are under the direction of the Timothy P. Doyle Funeral Home, 371 Hooker Ave., Poughkeepsie.