Ping Chen's Obituary
On Tuesday February 27, 2024 Ping Chen passed away.
She was born in the city of Hofei in Anhui, China. Along with an older brother and two younger
brothers, she had a tumultuous childhood jarred by World War II, the separation of her family
and the divorce of her parents. The war left one brother trapped in communist China, who she
would not see for over 20 years. She was put in a position where she had to frequently care for
a younger brother. Without her parents, she would set up a cup with a toothbrush in it at the
door, to serve as a makeshift alarm for intruders. She never became close to her stepfather,
but she eventually did establish a family connection to her half-brother. To flee from the new
communist China, part of her family escaped to live in Hong Kong. In part to further escape the
chaos, she studied hard, and was awarded a full scholarship to attend college at a small Catholic
university in Seattle. She immigrated here alone on a cargo ship at only 19 years old. Barely
speaking English, she remembered just pointing to items at the cafeteria and the nuns helping
her to get settled in a new world. She actually considered becoming a nun before getting her
nursing degree from Seattle University and becoming an RN. It was in Seattle that she met her
future husband Wen, a graduate student at the nearby University of Washington. Before
getting married, she even embarked on an adventure to work as a nurse in New York City for a
short time before returning to Seattle to get married on June 30, 1962.
She went on to have two sons, Van, born in Seattle in 1964 and Lawrence (Larry), born in Los
Angeles in 1967. Her happy marriage and stable family life in the United States were in many
ways a stark contrast to her childhood in China. The family lived in many places on the East and
West coast before settling in Alexandria, Virginia. The boys grew up there and this house
remained the family home for almost 40 years. She worked as a surgical nurse, commuting
many years to the operating rooms at NIH in Bethesda, Maryland. Her sons were a source of
pride, with Van becoming a physician, and Larry becoming a dentist. Grandchildren brought
further joy to the family with Lydia born in 1995 and Bryan born in 1998.
She retired in 1998. With their good health, she was able to truly enjoy her well-earned
retirement with her husband Wen. Daily walks, spending time with friends and traveling all
over the world were the rewards of a lifetime of hard work. The love of her life passed away
unexpectedly leaving her a shocked widow in 2007. In many ways she became lost, struggling
to live alone. Fortunately, her excellent physical health allowed her to remain strong. She was
able to continue traveling with her sons and their families, well into her eighties with her last
trip with Van, Larry, Kwan and Steffi to Paris in 2022. She passed away peacefully with no
suffering or pain after having lived a long, wonderful and amazing life. She will be deeply missed by her sons, her grandchildren and the rest of her family and friends.
What’s your fondest memory of Ping?
What’s a lesson you learned from Ping?
Share a story where Ping's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Ping you’ll never forget.
How did Ping make you smile?