Tung-ho Chen

Tung-ho Chen, age 94, passed peacefully on July 13, 2024, with his wife at his side at their home in Maris Grove, Glen Mills, PA. 

Tung-ho was born in Taiwan and grew up in the town of Puli, the eighth of nine children. He attended vocational/technical high school, then went on to National Taiwan University in Taipei, graduating with a degree in Analytical Chemistry. He sought higher education in the U.S. and won a scholarship to graduate school at The University of Louisville, completing his PhD in Physical Chemistry in just two years in 1960. He secured a post-doctoral fellowship at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ, where he met his wife Mei-chih through mutual friends. They were married at his professor's home in 1962. 

Tung-ho had an impactful and productive career spanning 36 years as a senior research chemist for the U.S. Army at Picatinny Arsenal. He lead a high-level project to detect plastic explosives in airline safety. He traveled internationally to participate in conferences held in countries including Germany, England, France, Sweden, Egypt and Finland.

Tung-ho retired in 1999 to a new home in the Heritage Hunt retirement community in Gainesville, VA. He made many friends and enjoyed swimming, tennis, golf, bowling, wood carving, fishing and line dancing. He took Spanish and Korean language classes at the local community college. He and Mei-chih traveled extensively to Alaska, Australia/New Zealand, Central America and Panama Canal, Machu Picchu/Peru, the Galapagos Islands, Ireland and Mexico. He was not afraid to ride a zipline or a jeep on safari in Tanzania. 

Tung-ho and Mei-chih moved to Maris Grove five years ago to be closer to their daughter's family. They enjoyed delicious Sunday brunches together at Blue Sky Restaurant.

Dr. Chen is survived by his wife, their three children, two grandchildren and a large extended family in Taiwan.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Sunday, July 28, 2024, at 3 pm in the Maris Grove Chapel (at Maris Grove Senior Living, 200 Maris Grove Way).

In lieu of flowers, his family suggests donations to the Maris Grove Resident Care Fund, which supports residents who outlive their financial resources.