Sunny Chu

Belated Condolences to the Family...
Sonny was bright light wherever he went & whomever he met...while his reputation & generosity preceded him..some of us didn´t get to meet him until the amazing celebration of the 2025 Lunar New Year at the Yale Club -an historic first..it was outstanding, hugely successful & just what was needed in a challenging year ..this gathering of community (& so many other things he touched) could only be attributed to Sonny´s personality & style of leadership, his compassion & caring for the greater good...& his recognition that we all benefit from including the Lunar New Year celebration in its programming...we sorely will miss Sonny...gone way too soon. Thank you Sonny for embracing us with your generosity, spirit & love of humanity. Rest in Peace.
Rocky Chin (Association of Asian American Yale Alumni/AAAYA)

I´m so sorry for your loss Jae. I loved seeing Sunny in the building and the occassional round of golf. Sending you our love to you and Alexy.

Jeff Chang & Cathy Suh

I was one year behind Sunny in elementary, middle, high and senior high school at Plano East. While brilliant, he was gentle, funny and hard not to like.
Like so many others, I looked him up expecting to see his latest achievement and instead learned of his family´s tragic loss.
There are no words that can provide comfort , but his family should know that Sunny left a lasting impression on countless people even as far back as high school.

My deepest condolences to Sunny's family, his lovely wife Jae and daughter Alexandria. I have very fond memories of catching up with Sunny at the Yale Club in May, and at various business meetings (and Five Iron!) from time to time. Sunny was always warm, friendly, and had a disposition that reflected his name. I was shocked to hear the news of his passing and wanted to share what a bright light he brought to everyone around him. He adored his wife and daughter, and spoke with such love and high regard for both of them. We miss you.

Sunny was an incredibly kind and humble law school classmate. Always with a smile, he made everyone feel comfortable and welcome. Sending love and aloha to his family and closest friends.

Sunny and I became friends over 20 years ago after meeting at a Stanford talk on security in Asia. Though we´d lost touch in recent years, my husband and I will remember Sunny for his warmth, intellect and love for his family.

Sunny - you will be fondly remembered and cherished by many.

This news hit hard. I only met Sunny in May during a Class of 1997 event at Yale Club of NYC. He encouraged us to load up on the party favors of negroni cocktails and gave us a mini tour of the facility. He then met us across the street at The Campbell and later his lovely wife joined us. They were wonderful conversationalists, and Sunny's warmth and smiling face left a permanent impression on my memory of the evening. He even convinced me to consider becoming a member of the club, despite living 6 hours away and not having been to the city in nearly a decade! He was so personable and enthusiastic. It was impossible to resist wanting to be part of the community he was building.
I extend my sincere condolences to his wife and daughter, and all of his friends and family. He made the world brighter in the short time he was here.

I am grateful to have known Sunny. We first met as teenagers and life kept us in pretty regular contact in all of the years since, particularly after he settled in New York. A meet up with Sunny always left me with a smile (although also sometimes sleep-deprived!), and I was looking forward to seeing him on my August trip to NYC. I will think of him always and will try my best to match his gusto.

Sunny always had a smile on his face whenever I saw him at the Yale Club. He leaned into his governance role and will be remembered as an inspiration and as a leader. Deepest condolences to the family.

I reconnected with Sunny about three years ago when we bumped into each other at the Tryall Resorts in Montego Bay, Jamaica. It had been twenty since we spoke, but his warmth and joy at seeing me was as if we were closely connected. I invited him and Jae to join our family for a drink at our rental villa, and they gladly accepted, eager to see the views and enjoy the scotch. We kept loosely in touch since then, with promises to meet up more often in NYC. How I wish we had kept those promises. He will be so very missed. My heart goes out to Jae and his family for this devastating loss.

I was on a law school trip to Japan with Sunny and during one incredibly boring meeting, we were handed an org chart that had things like '3rd Secretariat International Desk' and the like, and from across the room Sunny signaled that I should look at the entry a couple levels down. It said "Extraordinary Organs" and I still crack up every time I think about it. Sunny was also the president of this student organization, and I distinctly remember thinking when first meeting him, I want to be more like this guy. Farewell, friend.

Gone too soon my friend and you will be dearly missed.

To Sunny´s family we extend our deepest condolences and pray for Gods comfort upon you.

Sunny and I were introduced through mutual friends when his family moved to NYC. His intellect, humor, compassion, and love for family were immediately present and inspiring. I treasure the time we had together. I will miss you my friend, one of the best ever.

Over the past almost two decades, Sunny was a true friend - generous, adventurous and caring. My best memories with him span Tokyo´s early hours at the fish market to Shanghai´s late night cocktails to New York City food crawls (with lots of conference rooms between) to him and Jae Sun rocking the dance floor at my 40th birthday party despite the pandemic. Sunny´s grace, love and loyalty will always be remembered. We miss you Sunny.

I met Sunny in law school and he has been one of my all-time favorite people ever since. He was the BEST, and I feel lucky to have known him and his family. He was so open, so gregarious, so adventurous, and so kind. We have all been blessed to know and love an angel...

I met Sunny through volunteer service at the Yale Club of New York City. We did not know each other at Yale - I was a number of years ahead of him. While our association started out as "Yale-alumni professional," we soon became friends. After I had stepped away from a more active role in governance, as President, he convinced me to come back to help him and the team bring the community closer together than ever before. I returned because Sunny asked - I trusted him and loved collaborating with him. Sunny was passionate about giving back to Yale and fellow Yalies, and he dedicated much time and effort to building community.

He was definitely not all work and no play, arranging a number of outings for us Yale Club of NYC governance members to bond over some of his passions, hitting golf balls together at a golf simulator venue, playing some friendly and fierce poker, and always, enjoying great food, drink, and company together. He was a big supporter of different Yale alumni groups and hosted the first-ever Lunar New Year celebration at the Yale Club, which was a sold-out, bit hit.

Sunny was warm and charming, brilliant and wickedly funny, cultured and very caring. Everyone who met him liked him, although I have no doubt he could be a formidable opponent at the opposite end of a business deal. He was a man of great integrity and great heart, always thinking of others and wanting to do things the right way. He was an accomplished leader whom people were happy to follow, and whom so many looks up to for his ability to lead with both strength and compassion.

Most of all, Sunny loved his family so deeply and passionately. Spending time with Sunny and Jae at events and meals was always a pleasure, as they were the best company, full of interesting conversation and appreciation of good food, drink, and culture. I also got to know Sunny as a father, and we often talked about our kids. When my tween twins were considering middle school during the pandemic, Sunny not only shared much wisdom with me, but also arranged to have his wonderful daughter Alexy speak to my kids on Zoom. In her teens, Alexy already is an incredible person, and Sunny was always so proud of her.

It feels very odd and very wrong to speak of Sunny in the past tense. He had such positive energy, was so full of life and energy, that it is unbelievable to think he no longer walks this earth. I know many people feel this loss of our dear friend deeply.

Jaesun and Alexy, I know Sunny is smiling down on you, watching over you, proud to be your husband and father. The many friends he made at the Yale Club and throughout his life are here for you. Thank you for sharing him with us so generously. He was truly special, and we all miss him so much.

I met Sunny through volunteer service at the Yale Club of New York City. We did not know each other at Yale - I was a number of years ahead of him. While our association started out as "Yale-alumni professional," we soon became friends. After I had stepped away from a more active role in governance, as President, he convinced me to come back to help him and the team bring the community closer together than ever before. I returned because Sunny asked - I trusted him and loved collaborating with him. Sunny was passionate about giving back to Yale and fellow Yalies, and he dedicated much time and effort to building community.

He was definitely not all work and no play, arranging a number of outings for us Yale Club of NYC governance members to bond over some of his passions, hitting golf balls together at a golf simulator venue, playing some friendly and fierce poker, and always, enjoying great food, drink, and company together. He was a big supporter of different Yale alumni groups and hosted the first-ever Lunar New Year celebration at the Yale Club, which was a sold-out, bit hit.

Sunny was warm and charming, brilliant and wickedly funny, cultured and very caring. Everyone who met him liked him, although I have no doubt he could be a formidable opponent at the opposite end of a business deal. He was a man of great integrity and great heart, always thinking of others and wanting to do things the right way. He was an accomplished leader whom people were happy to follow, and whom so many looks up to for his ability to lead with both strength and compassion

Most of all, Sunny loved his family so deeply and passionately. Spending time with Sunny and Jae at events and meals was always a pleasure, as they were the best company, full of interesting conversation and appreciation of good food, drink, and culture. I also got to know Sunny as a father, and we often talked about our kids. When my tween twins were considering middle schools during the pandemic, Sunny not only shared much wisdom with me, but also arranged to have his wonderful daughter Alexy speak to my kids on Zoom. In her teens, Alexy already is an incredible person, and Sunny was always so proud of her.

It feels very odd and very wrong to speak of Sunny in the past tense. He had such positive energy, was so full of life and energy, that it is unbelievable to think he no longer walks this earth. I know many people feel this loss of our dear friend deeply.

Jaesun and Alexy, I know Sunny is smiling down on you, watching over you, proud to be your husband and father. The many friends he made at the Yale Club and throughout his life are here for you. Thank you for sharing him with us so generously. He was truly special, and we all miss him so much.

Sunny was my roommate for my first two years of college and a dear friend for the past 30+ years. He was one of the most amazing people I have ever known...warm, smart, generous, with a wicked sense of humor. He opened my mind up to so many different things.

We would see each other once a year or so after graduating, but every time we spoke it was as if we were still sharing a bunk bed back in college. I miss him dearly...

What a loss for the world. No other person could take you to intellectual rodeo rides like him. Full of energy, profound, well read, witty and funny and human at the same time. He had his heart in the right place, it was such a pleasure to be with him.

Image a world, where our political leaders, business leaders are like Sunny. Where Sunny´s your neighbor. Wow, wouldn´t that be something. It´s hard to make any sense of his passing, except that maybe in some other universe a fantastic person like him was direly needed.

He might have quoted T.S. Eliot: What we call the beginning is often the end, and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.

I met Sunny in Hong Kong during a work trip in China over 15 years ago. He was not only a brilliant and driven person but also a funny, kind and curious soul. He became a great friend over time. I will miss his stories about his many adventures (hiking Mount Fuji on a whim, traveling to North Africa, etc) and advice.
My deepest thoughts and sympathy to his wife and daughter, who meant the world to him.

As a former contestant on "Millionaire", I watch the reruns. I just saw Sunny's run on GSN, minutes ago. As I often do, I did a search to see if he pursued his political ambitions and was shocked to see that he had passed just days before this rerun of his "Millionaire" appearance. Sincere condolences to his family and many friends.

I admired Sunny for his intellect, his eloquence, his calmness and his hospitality. After decades of infrequent contact, I had only recently got to spend more time with him and I will miss him very much.

Sending strength and love to Sunny's family and close friends. I have only the fondest memories of our time together in college. He was such a sweet person, so kind and funny, and also dazzling. May his memory be a blessing.

I met Sunny in 2012 when I first moved to Singapore and we worked together for 7+ years and kept in touch thereafter.

He was a great boss who treated me like a peer and made work fun. We also got to know each others' families through work trips together in the many years we worked together (Shanghai, Vietnam, Thailand, Australia, UK, Spain, among other places) and to me, Sunny became friend/family. My husband always enjoyed the odd round of golf with Sunny as well. My memories of him were always filled with laughter and smiles.

Some of my favorite memories:
- Sunny always knew where to go for the best food and drinks, no matter which city or country.
- No matter how stressful the situation, he knew how to defuse the situation and bust out a witty joke which would make everyone laugh. He was always filled with such optimism and perspective.
- Of all his worldly accomplishments, his eyes always lit up the most when he talked about his family, especially Alexy, who he always said was "a better version of himself".


Thank you for all the memories Sunny and for reminding us of how to live life joyfully. We will miss your bright smile, humor, and optimism. I'm sure you will bring that to wherever you are now.

Sunny was my student for several years in high school where he studied French and travelled with my student group to Europe one summer. He was someone I have never forgotten. Brilliant, funny (but never at someone else´s expense), kind, ambitious, Sunny possessed every quality you would want in a student or friend. I still have a gift he gave me with a thank you note inside as he moved on to the next scholastic level. My deepest sympathy to his family. The world has lost such a wonderful person.

I met Sunny when I was 7 and he was 9. Even then, at Harrington Elementary, the adults recognized his genius. My mother volunteered at the school and came home marveling one day about this kid who, when she asked for a synonym for "elephant," immediately answered, "pachyderm".

Sunny was utterly at ease with himself, with his intellect, and, most of all, with others. Moreover, he was gifted at putting everyone around him at ease, one of the secrets to his immense popularity. He didn't use his prodigious brain as a weapon (at least, not with friends). Instead, he used it to bring out the best in people. He delighted in human interaction, and he really did make those around him feel special. I´ve never seen anyone else attract so many high-quality, wonderful friends. He was a magnet.

It was thrilling to be in Sunny's orbit. This may be why, unlike most geniuses, he was actually popular growing up. I remember watching him walk past a cheerleader during the dark wilderness of middle school. They briefly clasped hands and let go. She turned around to look at him as he walked away. He was so confident. Everyone loved him. I adored him. He wasn´t just brilliant; he was good, and he wanted to be wise.

Sunny held so many interests, which of course made him so interesting. He's the only person I've ever known to read Camus for fun. He had an impeccable palate. He growled out something in Mandarin once, to one of his brothers, in that unforgettable baritone, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. Once, on a road trip to Austin, he made up his own language. My brother and I still speak it when we want to talk privately.

Sunny was a deeply loyal friend, and he believed in making the effort. Ten years ago, he wrote me out of the blue. He had a business trip where I lived and wanted to fly out a day early so that we could have lunch and reconnect. Who does that? Sunny.

He also made that effort with his best friends from high school. Each and every one of them is smart and accomplished - a few won nationals together at Academic Decathlon, if I remember correctly - but they are also grounded, deeply good people. Sunny was their anchor. They must all be aching right now.

Sunny´s American name fit him well: He beamed. After I went through a painful breakup, he encouraged me to come visit him in Boston, where he did his bon vivant thing, introducing me to people and cheering me up with good food, good drinks, and good conversation. As usual, at Harvard he had amassed an impressively kind, funny, and accomplished friend group. No wonder he and his beautiful wife, Jaesun, had to fly around the world and hold three weddings. So many people love them!

I still can't believe he´s really gone. He should be here. He was good. And he was a light. My prayers for Jaesun, Alex, and the Chu family. Your loss is immeasurable, and Sunny irreplaceable. Memory Eternal, beloved Sunny.

I went to HLS with Sunny, and he was truly unforgettable. In my mind, he's forever in an ascot, sipping some ridiculously expensive drink with a single, perfectly cut block of ice - eyes twinkling and a perma-smirk.

For all his bougie charm, Sunny had this uncanny way of making you feel completely at ease - enough to call him a butthead and give him a noogie (of course I never did b/c his hair was always perfect).

Sunny was a character in the very best sense of the word - stylish, witty, self-aware, always in on the joke. He´ll be missed by so many, and my deepest condolences go to his family.

My deepest condolences to Sunny´s family. I first met Sunny when we were summer associates at WSGR in 2000 and became friends. I have so many memories of our time together at WSGR with many dinners out (especially Bix and House of Prime Rib), all-night diligence M&A where Sunny could always make you laugh even at 3am, a group trip to Vegas to watch the World Cup finals when we all got slammed with work when we came back and celebrating NY´s in SF.

In 2019 my family went to NY and Sunny very kindly arranged for my family to stay at the Yale Club in 2019. We had a delicious meal at a hidden Japanese restaurant and Alex was the most fun babysitter my daughter ever had, while the adults enjoyed post dinner cocktails at the bar. It is one of so many wonderful memories of Sunny that make me smile.

I had the pleasure of working with Sunny for 6 years. His counsel was always valuable and we shared fond memories of a few social nights out. I´ll always remember his smile, deep voice and sharp mind. My sincerest condolences to his family.

I went to law school with Sunny. He was quick to laugh and make others laugh, never letting the intended stress of law school get in the way of having fun with classmates. I´m so sorry for your loss. It´s way too early to lose Sunny. May you find comfort - and eventually smiles - in the memories of him.

I remember Sunny well from law school. Charming and kind and witty. Very sorry to hear this news and wishing his family and loved ones strength as they mourn his passing.

My sincere condolences to Sunny´s family and friends. He was one of the smartest, wittiest guys I ever knew. May the Lord fill your hearts with peace and may joy filled memories carry you through this time of sorrow.

I met Sunny in 2011, when he was working in the Middle East and I was in Singapore working for a British Pension fund. I was looking for a partner in crime and was totally jaded after 20+ interviews. Our first discussion was a breath of fresh air. You could discern his intellect immediately, but it was also coupled with absolute humility and a great sense of humour.

After three conversations we decided to partner up and build that Asia business together. What followed were four extraordinary years in Singapore. We accomplished things we were both proud of, but above all we built a close relationship and had fun along the way. I can´t say I thought of myself as his best friend. But I did feel like he was my big brother. I loved him, still love him, dearly.

Farewell my friend.

Sunny was always so much fun to be around. He was a great companion, a loyal friend, and a walking encyclopedia. He exuded positivity and his smile was contagious. We had so many great times together over the years. We were suite-mates during our Freshman year at Yale. People would crowd into our room to soak up Sunny's intellect as they worked through homework and problem sets together. He had that gravitational pull even back then. And in the 32 years I've known him since then, he was a constant presence at so many fun and meaningful occasions. Weddings. Vermont trips. NYE celebrations. Harvard-Yale Games. Reunions. Family get togethers. Meals and drinks in NYC or Boston. He always showed up. He never said no. Sunny had a knack for making each of his friends somehow feel as if they were his best friend. He listened when you spoke. He asked hard questions. He gave good advice. He peppered in jokes that sometimes went right over my head. And what a delight it was to discuss marriage and parenting with him. It's hard for me to name a prouder father than Sunny. There's so much more to say. But here's to a great man and a great friend. I miss him dearly.

Sending my condolences to Sunny´s family and friends. Sunny was a wonderful guy and such a sweet soul.

Sunny and I met when we were 14 at Clark High School. He was the smartest person I´d ever met, yet he was also the most humble and kind. We were each other´s "plus one" for weddings and work parties and travel buddies in our early 20´s. No one could make me laugh more than him. He inspired my love of travel and helped me discover new countries and interesting experiences. I will forever treasure our memories together, and I marvel at the wonderful life he lived. He will be deeply missed by all who had the pleasure of knowing him. My sincere condolences to his family.

Condolences to the Chu family for the loss of Sunny. He truly was an example of the best of humanity and will be missed by those of us were lucky enough to be touched by his light.

Sunny was a great guy and well remembered by those of us from Plano East Sr High. Condolences to his family and loved ones.

Sending my condolences to Sunny´s family and friends. I´m sure he will be deeply missed by many.

My deepest condolences. I remember him fondly from high school.

Sunny did indeed make everyone feel special and equal. I will always be thankful for the times we shared laughs over a good negroni during his visits and that we got to see him just this summer.

I will remember Sunny fondly. He was always very, very kind. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord.

Sending my love to his family. Sunny was indeed one of a kind.

Sunny was my suite-mate for the first two years of college. An utterly lovable and brilliant person. My sincerest condolences go out to his family.

I knew Sunny in his growing up years in Plano, Texas.A bright, funny , friendly kid. He and my daughter were very good friends and always kept in touch. The world has lost a brilliant young man.

I worked with Sunny from 2000-2001 when we both clerked for Judge Kendall in Dallas right out of law school. I could not have asked for a more wonderful, smart, and good natured coworker that year. This is so minor in the big scheme of things now but we were all so excited about his Who Wants to be a Millionaire appearance, it was great fun that he got to do that. I am so sorry to his family for this sudden loss.