KEONG-CHYE CHEAH

Keong-Chye Cheah Keong-Chye Cheah, M.D. of Steilacoom, WA left this earthly existence for his heavenly home on August 25, 2012 in Sandy, UT. He was 73 years old. Chye, or Doc as he was better known, was the 5th of six children born to Mr. Thean Hoe Cheah and Madam Keong Hun Kin of Penang, Malaysia. He is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Sandra, his children Chylynn and Eric Hansel of Steilacoom, WA, and Maylynn Leighton of Sandy, Utah, his granddaughters Amanda Hansel and Caitlin Walrath, great-grandson Joshua Hansel, sisters Juliana Yap of Penang, Malaysia, Veronica Lean of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Christina Low of Las Vegas, NV, and Julie Ang of Singapore, as well as many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins. Chye was a gifted student and was selected to come to the United States in 1959 on a USIA scholarship to the University of Arkansas. He excelled academically and made the acquaintance of Winthrop Rockefeller, who had a home in Arkansas. Chye worked for him summers teaching his children and their friends swimming. When Governor Rockefeller found Chye was interested in medicine, he arranged scholarships for Chye to complete his undergraduate degree and then to attend medical school. At that time the University of Arkansas Medical School did not accept foreign students, so he arranged for Chye to attend his first year of medical school at New York University and then to transfer to the University of Arkansas to begin his second year. Thanks to the Rockefeller family, Chye was able to complete his education debt free. He graduated in 1967 with his MD degree after having obtained a BS and MS in microbiology. He met his wife Sandra when he was a senior student in medical school. They married in Little Rock in 1968. He did a residency in psychiatry at the University of Arkansas, and then went on to be a career resident with the Veterans Administration. He was a rising star with the VA, serving at a young age as Chief of the Addiction Unit in North Little Rock, and then a few years later his true love, Geriatric Psychiatry, at the Little Rock VA. In 1981 Chye was selected as the Chief of Psychiatry of American Lake VA, moving the family to this area. In 1986 because of health difficulties he decided to go a less stressful route and worked in Geriatrics and Chief of Consultation/Liaison Psychiatry. He served in the Arkansas and Washington Army National Guard, retiring as a Lt. Col., on the Board of the American Lake Credit Union, and as a hospital surveyor for JCAHO. His achievements were many, and to only mention a few: Phi Beta Kappa, Fellow American Psychiatric Association, President Ark Psychiatry Association, Clinic Assoc Prof. University of WA, President North Pacific Soc of Neurology and Psychiatry, Leadership VA, Chapel of Four Chaplains, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Psi Chi, Alpha Omega Alpha. However, he always felt that his greatest achievement was his love and dedication he showed to family and friends. Funeral services are at 1pm Saturday, Sept 1, 2012 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 10018 Farwest Drive SW, Lakewood, WA. A viewing will be held in the Relief Society Room at Noon. Interment will be at New Tacoma Cemetery in University Place. Guestbook at www.newtacoma.com.