Karl K. Chiang

Karl K. Chiang, 62 of Naperville, passed away Thursday, May 31, 2007. Born in China and raised in Taiwan, Karl was the fourth of five children in his family. Karl was an educated and intelligent man. In 1967, he graduated from National Taiwan University and came to the U.S. the following year on a fellowship from the University of Illinois. It was on the UI campus where Karl met his wife, Grace. He was drawn to her intellect, her beauty and her calming nature. In order to pursue his Ph.D., he left Illinois to attend Colorado State University. After a long courtship and across many miles, Karl and Grace were wed in Urbana, IL in 1972. Their love and appreciation for one another continued to grow deeper for the next 35 years of marriage. He was a faithfully loving husband who cared for Grace with admiration and affection. Through their years together, they made their home across the country - from Illinois to New York to Washington State to Texas, and lastly, back to Illinois. With each move, they enjoyed making the most of what each city had to offer. Professionally, Karl was an accomplished individual. During his years with International Paper, Karl developed several patents and held the position of the Director of Research for Wood Products. At the time of his passing, he was the Vice President of Sales & Marketing-Asia at the Masonite Corporation. He traveled extensively throughout the world, including many cities in China, Russia and India. His ability to travel globally seemed to be a fit for his personality, for he was easy-going and easily adaptable to new people and environments. Karl was a contemporary renaissance man. He enjoyed cultural events such as the opera and arts and danced with Grace. He was an avid reader of literature and best-sellers. In his leisure, Karl also played golf and tennis and was an active member of the community. Karl was a man who lived in the present. Vibrant and full of life and laughter, he offered the most affable company. Karl's cheerful disposition was evident in his warm smile. He was generous with his time and energy. He exuded an acceptance and open-minded attitude towards mankind. He was a steadfast man and demonstrated the utmost in character and integrity. He was well-liked and respected by his peers and family, both young and old. His enthusiasm and optimism in life will be missed by all those who knew him. In addition to his loving wife Grace, he is survived by his mother, Ran-ting; sisters, Qiyu, Fei-fei and Wu-mei; a brother, Charles; and in-laws, Shirley (Po), Virginia (Lieh), Betty (Chao-Kai), Karen (Sidney), Min-shuan and Dean. A memorial service will be held at the Beidelman-Kunsch Funeral Home, 24021 W. Royal Worlington Drive, Naperville, IL 60564, 10 a.m. on June 7, 2007. Visitation will be held at the funeral home on Wednesday, June 6, 2007 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations be made to the American Heart Association, 208 S. LaSalle St., #900, Chicago, IL 60604 (http://local.americanheart.org). Info 630-922-9630. www.beidelmankunschfh.com