Sunny Su-Chin Shen

Sunny Su-Chin Shen was born on November 29, 1946, and passed away on December 8, 2024, at Willard Walker Hospice in Fayetteville, Arkansas. She was seventy-eight. Sunny spent her early childhood years in a small western town in the province of Yunnan, China. She often described how beautiful and bountiful her hometown was, and how she and her siblings roamed the fertile land carefree as young kids. After the communist took over China, it forced her family to flee to Taiwan in early 1950 after a long and treacherous road on foot through countries like Myanmar, Thailand during still turbulent years after World War II had ended. Sunny and family settled in Taipei, Taiwan and lived a frugal but fulfilled life. She graduated from a local high school and then took on jobs to help her parents. She met John Chen-Hsiung Shen, her husband in their early twenties and soon got married. They had two children. In 1985, a business opportunity in the United States came along, she and family took their chances and moved to Fayetteville, Arkansas. Together with her siblings and through their hard work, they made a name for themselves in various Chinese restaurant businesses and thrived. Sunny was a caring and loving mother and grandmother, always resourceful, self-reliant, and kind. She was a self-taught artist on oil paintings, enjoyed gardening and playing occasional mahjong games at home with family. Most of all, she doted on her grandsons and helped raise them. Sunny was predeceased by her parents, Shyh-Lin Yang and Tsuey-Hwa Lee, husband John Chen-Hsiung Shen, older brother Tom Yang and sister-in-law Hsiau-Fenq Liaw Yang, brother-in-law Lawrence Mong. She is survived by daughter Sherry Marquardt, son Jeff Shen, son-in-law Andrew Marquardt, and three grandsons, Jacob Shen, Tylor Shen, and Reid Shen. She is also survived by her younger brother George Yang, two younger sisters Sue Mong and Lana Gun, sister-in-law Laura Yang, brother-in-law Don Loftis, brother-in-law Joe Gun, and many loving nieces and nephews, Christine Yang, nephew-in-law Todd Brower, Rosa Yang, nephew-in-law Wayne Buescher, Cindy McPike, nephew-in-law Jeff McPike, Chin Mong, Fayette Mong, nephew-in-law Mark Ryan, Steve Gun, niece-in-law Ariel Chen, and Todd Gun. Also, grand nephews and nieces Nathen Buescher, Luke Buescher, Alice McPike, and Eva McPike, Madeline Mong, Jackson Mong, Ellie Mong, and Quincy Ryan, Max Gun, Kendalyn Gun, and Kensington Gun. Many families still reside in Taiwan who are not listed here.

Sunny Su-Chin Shen

November 29, 1946 - December 8, 2024