George Shen's Obituary
George Clement Shen passed away peacefully at Stanford Hospital, CA, on March 20, 2019, just 3 days shy of his 90th birthday. He was surrounded by his loving wife and two children.George was born in Shanghai, China on March 23, 1929. He spent his childhood in Shanghai and Hong Kong and graduated from St. John’s University in Shanghai with degrees in Economics and Political Science in 1949. His early career in Hong Kong fulfilled his childhood love of the entertainment industry. He worked in radio, television, and film in various capacities, including script writer, producer, and director. He met his wife, Jane, when he was a movie producer at Sun Sun Film Company, and they were married in 1957 in Christ Church. After the birth of their two children, he embarked on a new career as an economist. He was one of the founding members of the Hong Kong Productivity Council, and in 1968, he was recruited by the Asian Productivity Organization in Tokyo, Japan, where he served tirelessly for 18 years. In spite of a demanding job that involved frequent foreign travel, he furthered his education and earned a PhD in Economics. In 1986, he returned to Hong Kong and became chief editor of the Hong Kong Economic Journal, a position that he held for a decade before retiring to California.George was passionate about the arts, especially music, theatre, ballet, and Chinese opera. He was also a historian and a self-taught linguist. He was a gifted and prolific writer and authored numerous articles, reviews, and books on music and culture. He contributed his time and resources to many cultural organizations, including the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Hong Kong Arts Development Council.Retirement allowed George to travel extensively with Jane, enjoy time with his four grandchildren, dedicate more time to his faith and his church, and become an enthusiastic season ticket holder for the San Francisco Symphony, Ballet, Opera, and Theatre. He was an active member of St. John’s University Alumni Association and was instrumental in establishing campuses in Vancouver, BC and Taipei, Taiwan so that future generations of students would have the opportunity to pursue excellent education in the tradition of his alma mater. However, George was known to his friends and family for qualities beyond his intellect and varied interests. We remember him for his deep kindness, loyalty, honesty, generosity, and philanthropy; his wit and his ability to remember and recount jokes; his love for sharing a good meal and conversation with friends; and his distinct dislike of exercise and physical exertion.George is survived by his wife of nearly 62 years, Jane; his son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Lynda; his daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Dwayne; his four grandchildren, Anna, Claire, Yvette, and Nathan; and his goddaughter, Jeanne.On behalf of George, we would like to express our deepest gratitude to the excellent physicians and staff at Stanford Hospital and Menlo Clinic. We will always remember their compassion and professionalism.A memorial service will be held on April 19, 2019 at Skylawn Memorial Park, Highway 92 at Skyline Blvd., San Mateo, CA at 2 pm. A reception will follow. We ask those who are able to attend to wear bright clothing to celebrate his colorful life. For those who wish, donations may be made to St. John’s College at UBC (please make checks payable to Jane Shen).We would like to share this message that Nathan sent to Janet after he heard of his beloved grandfather’s passing:“He died in the most comfortable place, with the people he loved most. He lived at home until the end of his life. He died peacefully. I know that the room God prepared for him has a grand piano and all of the music for him to enjoy. He’s conducting a symphony of angels right now. The heavenly hosts are acting in the movies he’s directing. He is jumping and laughing and singing. I see it.”
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