DR. ANTHONY S. SHUEN Tony lived his 88 years to the fullest—inspiring all around him with his warmth, happiness, positive energy—singing Broadway musicals and moving his feet in ballroom dancing steps, right up to his last party in the ICU of Brandon Hospital. He thoroughly enjoyed his nearly 30 years in Sun City Center, writing and photographing the Sun City guidebook on the 300+ activities, friends, and community he was such an active part of, along with his beloved partner Bette Mederich. He left us on such a high note—completely content with his life and his noteworthy accomplishments in family, career, and charity. Tony spent two months travelling through China, visiting his remaining brothers and sisters and their families, while celebrating his 87th birthday with a 50-year reunion with his wife's brother, George and his Hong Kong family.
He enjoyed the double graduation of his grandchildren, Christopher and Caroline, from the University of Washington in 2010, after attending their high school graduations. He visited San Francisco often and joined many family vacations and cruises. Tony had fond memories of Europe, attending the fairy-tale wedding of his daughter, Amy and her husband Michel in a 15th century cathedral in Belgium with horse-drawn carriages and hot-air balloons. His memories also included living in Versailles, France where his grandchildren were born, buying baguettes, rolling the pram in the royal park, showing the grandchildren how to feed the ducks and sheep in Marie Antoinette's little farm, and spending his summers on the Belgian coast. Tony was proud of his daughter Amy, a professor, board advisor and author, Yale National Scholar, Harvard MBA and PhD UC Berkeley and his son Tony Jr., a Columbia University Engineering graduate and championship Chess player and master, following after Tony Sr., who was an excellent Chess player and Duplicate Bridge life master.
Tony's father was the very powerful, wealthy, and English-speaking High Commissioner of Customs in Shanghai, China. Tony's Chinese Catholic family of eight brothers and sisters grew up in the French Quarter. Tony was the scholar of the family, excelling at the top private high school and university he attended in China. He was awarded an invitation to do his doctoral studies in Economics in the U. S. at the Jesuit-founded Fordham University in New York. He met Anne Tong, a beautiful college coed, while directing a Chinese student play and made her the Moon Goddess, star of his play and life.
Tony's life was overturned by the Communist takeover in China in his second year of doctoral studies—the new regime imprisoned his family for their position and for their protection of Jesuit missionaries during the war and revolution. They took away his family's fortune, cut off all communication, and left Tony exiled and penniless in the U.S. Tony had to take a job as an accountant in New York, working his way up to become the right hand advisor to the CFO/VP of Finance for Lummus, the engineering group of Combustion Engineering. He travelled around the globe, using his economics and mathematical expertise to apply computerized project financing models to fund the building of huge water treatment, energy, and manufacturing plants. However, under the stress of his family being persecuted in China, working and travelling non-stop, finishing his doctoral thesis in the evening while supporting and raising a growing family, he had his first heart attack by his late 30s. His dear wife Anne, mother of his two children Tony, Jr. and Amy, died of colon cancer on Thanksgiving weekend, after less than 20 years of happy marriage together. He will be buried by her side near White Haven, Pennsylvania in the Pocono Mountains where he hiked, fished, skied, snowmobiled, sailed, and canoed on his weekends.
Tony's words of wisdom to his children and grandchildren at his 80th birthday celebration were (1) work hard, (2) be happy and (3) help others. He wrote a book on Wimauma, and received a letter from the then President's wife, Barbara Bush, praising his efforts on behalf of the migrant workers of Florida. Tony loved being with friends and family, dancing, singing, and sharing his happiness with others.
Donations may be made on Tony's behalf to the Lord's Lighthouse Ministry, 815 E College AVE, Ruskin 33570; and/or to the Department of Music at the United Community Church in SCC. If you'd like to leave a recorded message, remembrance, or condolences for Tony's family, please call 916-209-4534 and enter passcode 5105990011#, otherwise email amyshuen@gmail.com .