Kwok Keung Chan

CHAN, Kwok Keung - Passed away peacefully at his home in Palo Alto, Nov. 4, 2005 at the age of 82. He was born April 12, 1923 in Guangzhou, China. He was fondly remembered as K.K. by family and friends. Raised in China, at the age of 21 he joined China National Aviation Corp. and piloted airplanes to airlift war materials to China during World War II from 1944 to 1946. The airlifting operation was known as "Flying the Hump" for crossing over the Himalayan Mountains at 20,000 ft in a C-46 air transport. After graduating with his bachelors degree from the National Tsing Hua University in Beijing in 1947, he traveled to the United States in 1948 to pursue an advanced degree in engineering. In 1951, he earned his masters degree in aeronautical engineering and in 1955 he proudly earned his PhD degree in fluid mechanics both from Purdue University. He married Helen in 1950, who he knew from his hometown in China. In 1958, K.K. and Helen moved to Palo Alto to raise their family of four children while working for Lockheed Missiles and Space Co. In 1991, he retired from Lockheed after 38 years in aerospace engineering. After his retirement, he enjoyed being a world traveler, visiting every continent: Asia, Africa, Europe, South America, Australia and Antarctica. K.K. also enjoyed playing tennis with his friends and volunteering at the Chinese Community Library. K.K. is survived by his wife of 55 years, Helen; his sons Daniel and David; his daughters Emy and Evon; his four grandsons Carlo, Michael, Paolo and Cameron; his brother K.Y. Chan in China and his sister Shuit C. Chan in Canada. Private family Funeral Service will be held Thursday Nov. 10, 2005. A Memorial Celebration for K.K. will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Hua Kuang Chinese Reading Room, 1000 Middlefield Rd. Rm H4, P.A., CA 94303, 650-856-3733.