Wen-Yuan Huang

HUANG WEN-YUAN HUANG Wen-Yuan Huang, of Springfield, VA, passed away on January 3, 2016, of cancer. He was born on a dairy farm in 1938 in Tainan, Taiwan, to You-Dao and Hsiao-Hsi Huang. He is survived by his wife Mei-Ling Kao, and their three children, Lillian Auberson-Huang of Basel, Switzerland, Jean Huang of Cincinnati, OH, and Ted Huang (Nicole Seow) of Falls Church, VA. He is also survived by his five grandchildren, Anais and Chloé Auberson, Payton Smith, Ella and Tyler Huang, and by one brother and three sisters. Wen-Yuan graduated in 1961 from the National Taiwan University with a B.S. in agricultural engineering. He fulfilled a year of mandatory military service, taught at an agricultural technical school, and worked at the Tainan District Agricultural Improvement Station before entering the University of Hawaii on a graduate assistantship in 1967. He received an M.S. in agricultural engineering (1969), an M.S. in information science (1970), and a Ph.D. in agricultural economics (1974). Wen-Yuan moved his family to Ames, Iowa, in 1978, when he started working for the Economic Research Service (ERS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) as an agricultural economist, and in 1986, he relocated his family to Springfield, VA, and continued to work for the USDA in the Washington, D.C. office. He retired in 2013 after over 30 years of service. Within the USDA, he authored and co-authored numerous papers, including several cited journal publications, addressing problems at the nexus of agricultural production, farmers'' welfare and environmental protection, including work on the economics of plant nutrient management and ground water conservation. His work on groundwater protection has contributed to the shaping of policies to protect national water quality. Wen-Yuan also had a passion for sports throughout his life. While at the National Taiwan University, he was a member of the national rugby team, playing in the international games; he was also a 10K distance-running champion. Even to his 60s, he had enjoyed playing in the neighborhood basketball pick-up games. After retirement, Wen-Yuan became a volunteer landscaper for the South Run Recreation Center in Springfield. He also volunteered at Martha''s Table at Sydenstricker United Methodist Church, helping provide sandwiches for the homeless. A memorial service will be held on February 6, 2016, 1 p.m., at Sydenstricker UMC (8508 Hooes Road, Springfield, VA.) In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Martha''s Table at Sydenstricker UMC or American Cancer Society. In case of inclement weather, please contact the church at 703-451-8223.A memorial service will be held on February 6, 2016, 1 p.m., at Sydenstricker UMC (8508 Hooes Road, Springfield, VA.) In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Martha''s Table at Sydenstricker UMC or American Cancer Society. In case of inclement weather, please contact the church at 703-451-8223.