Viola “Vi” M. King
Viola “Vi” M. King, 94, of Sun City Center, formerly of Battle Creek, MI, passed away on Thursday, December 1, 2011 at Sun City Center Hospice House with her loving family at her side. Born in Prospect Park, NY on March 10, 1917, Vi was a homemaker and a member of Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Vi moved to Sun City Center, Florida in September, 1982. Vi is preceded in death by her husband Edward M. King on December 3, 1998, 2 sisters and a brother. Survivors include her sons Dennis E. (Karen) King of Sun City Center, Laurence A. King of Cave Creek, AZ and Ronald J. (Lori) King of Battle Creek, MI. Vi is also survived by 5 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
A Mass of Resurrection was said on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 11:30 AM at Prince of Peace Catholic Church. Interment will be at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell Fl, on Wednesday, December 7, 2011.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions can be made to LifePath Hospice, 3725 Upper Creek Drive, Ruskin, Fl 33573. Arrangements by Sun City Center Funeral Home, 1851 Rickenbacker Drive, Sun City Center, FL 33573
Anthony S. Shuen
Anthony S. Shuen, 88, November 30, 2011.
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 guide book on the 300+ activities, friends and community he was such an active part of, along with his beloved partner Bette Mederich. All of his many friends are invited to come to a celebration of his life, music and Chinese lunch buffet at United Community Church, 1501 La Jolla, Sun City Center on December 9th at 11am. RSVP Jo-Anne 813-634-3510.
He left us on such a high note—completely content with his life and his noteworthy accomplishments in family, career, charity. Tony spent 2 months travelling through China visiting his remaining brothers and sister and their families while celebrating his 87th with a 50 yr reunion with his wife’s brother George and Hong Kong family. He enjoyed the double graduation of his grandchildren Christopher and Caroline from the University of Washington in 2010, attended their high school graduations, visiting San Francisco often and joining on many family vacations and cruises. Tony also had fond memories of Europe, the fairy-tale wedding of Amy and her husband Michel in a 15th century cathedral with horse-drawn carriages and hot-air balloons in Belgium, 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, summering 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, Columbia U engineering graduate and championship chess player and master, following after Tony Sr, 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 8 brothers and sister 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 US at the Jesuit-founded Fordham University in New York. He met Anne Tong, then a beautiful college coed, while directing a Chinese student association 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, took away their 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 Finance of 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, 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, also on Thanksgiving weekend, after less than 20 yrs 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, canoed in his weekends.
Tony’s words of wisdom to his children and grandchildren at his 80th birthday celebration were (1) work hard (2) be happy (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. We know that it would make Tony very happy if you would donate on his behalf to the Lord’s Lighthouse Ministry, www.lordslighthouse.org, the wonderful mission at 815 E. College Ave, Ruskin, FL 33570 headed by Pastor Bill Cruz and his wife Dora, 813-641-7100. The mission serves hot meals, gives clothing and housing to needy children and women.
Tony loved being with friends and family, dancing, singing and sharing his happiness with others.
We’ll miss him but his smile will always be in our hearts.
