Senate Resolution No. 794 BY: Senator HARCKHAM MOURNING the death of Robert Shyun-Jing Chao, proud Asian-American, family man, and devoted member of his community WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavor served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao of Chappaqua, New York, died on Sunday, August 7, 2022, at the age of 74; and WHEREAS, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao, affectionately known to many as Bob, was born on September 26, 1948, to Fei-Kuan Chao and Shih-Ming Chang in Nanjing, China; during his early childhood, his father, a Kuomintang General who had fought against the Japanese invasion, retreated to Taiwan when the Communists took over China; in 1949, Robert and his mother and brother Wei, escaped during the night on a fishing boat and joined their father in Taiwan, where they made their home; and WHEREAS, In 1962, at the young age of 15, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao left home to attend high school in Taipei, where he excelled both academically and socially; and WHEREAS, After earning his bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Zhong-Xing University, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao immigrated to the United States in 1971 for a graduate program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, where he met his future wife, Ann; and WHEREAS, Upon completing his master's degree in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao received a Research Scholarship in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Cornell University on a PhD track in 1973; and WHEREAS, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao and Ann were married on January 2, 1975, in Taiwan, and one year later, they moved to Chicago, Illinois, for his first job with IITRI; he then took a job at IBM and moved to Endicott, New York, and later, in 1991, he and his family moved to Chappaqua, New York, for an internal job assignment within IBM Headquarters; and WHEREAS, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao spent most of his career at IBM, first as an engineer, then in Intellectual Property Mergers and Acquisitions; after IBM, he spent years working abroad, first with Infineon in Munich, Germany, then in Singapore and Taiwan, and came back home in 2016, formed a partnership "Radius IP" with an IBM colleague and worked there until his final days; and WHEREAS, Devoted to his community, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao was involved with numerous volunteer organizations such as CAAPS, and OCA Westchester and Hudson Valley where he served as the Co-Chair of Advocacy; and WHEREAS, A genuine family man, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao loved to spend time with his beloved family, and could often be found sitting in the audience for one of his daughter's musical performances or encouraging their academic careers and extracurricular interests; he and his family enjoyed adventure and traveling, whether it was to see a Broadway show in New York City or walking in the woods to forage for ramps and mushrooms or visiting places in Europe and Asia; and WHEREAS, Predeceased by his parents and brother, Steve, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao is survived by his wife, Ann; two daughters, Yvonne and Tiffany (David) Bebb; one grandson, Theodore; one sister, Virginia; and one brother, Wei; as well as numerous other relatives, friends and colleagues who will long cherish his memory; and WHEREAS, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao was a man of many passions and interests and truly lived each day to the fullest; his warm smile and engaging humor will forever remain in the hearts of all those who have had the privilege of knowing such a remarkable man; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Robert Shyun-Jing Chao leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of Robert Shyun-Jing Chao, proud Asian-American, family man, and devoted member of his community; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Robert Shyun-Jing Chao.