9 May 2020Tina Niem Robert Chiu Chong Ying (裘祟英)
April 7, 1941 to 12:01 a.m. April 29, 2020
Robert (Bobby) Chiu passed away at 12:01 on April 29, 2020. As the clock struck 12:00, he turned 80. He was born in Shanghai in the year of the Snake to Chiu Guang Xing and Zhang Rong Xian. He is survived by his wife Cindy, his children Alex and Melody, his son-in-law Tony Hou, and his grandchildren Owen and Malcolm. He is also survived by his siblings Gung Ying, Tien Ing, Guo Ying and brother-in-law Tony Niem.
Myth goes that, on the day the Jade Emperor met with the 12 animals of the Chinese Zodiac, he said the order would be decided by the time at which they arrived at his party. The Snake and the Dragon arrived at the same time. Due to their similar looks but different sizes, the Jade Emperor first noticed the Dragon, then the Snake. Thereafter, the Snake has lived under the shadow of the Dragon. Life as such is a constant struggle for the Snake.
Bobby’s journey in life did not take off steadily. Right after he had been selected into the prestigious Youth Group in Shanghai when he was in 6th grade, we had to leave China for Taiwan where our father was awaiting. It could have been a big opportunity for him to excel. But the shadow of the Dragon had already loomed in.
The new life in Taiwan forced the 12-year-old Bobby to face a new school, a new language, and a series of failed entrance examinations based on the then education system. It was as if hurdles were placed so close together that he could hardly take a break. It was like a never-ending adjustment period. Such was the weight he was carrying as a young adult. Finally, a short career in our father’s business pointed him to a new path on which it was Cindy, the love of his life, the beautiful bright-eyed young lady, would accompany him, for better or for worse, till death did them apart.
In 1972, with only US$100 in the pocket, holding back tears, leaving behind their infant son, they boarded on a flight to the U.S, to build a rose garden of their own. Together, they fought battles and wars, from filling up gas, making hamburgers, to becoming a giant in electronic business. I could see the way Bobby exhausted his sweat, drop by drop, fighting off the Dragon in his mind and became himself. It was only after 1972, I gradually began to see the psychological makeup of Bobby the Snake, who was able to hold his ground and his fast-paced thinking was disguised in his slow talking. He always made plans without having to consult with anybody and was able to follow up and through, with Cindy’s help. Such was his secret to success. I was always on their map, whether it was the small apartment on Oxford, where we were invited to stay in their only bedroom and treated us with home-made shrimp tempura, or the big house in Diamond Bar where we were invited to their Thanksgiving dinner each year.
For the Chiu family, Bobby dutifully played the role of a big brother and the eldest son from before we united with our father in 1952 and after our father passed away in 2001. Year after year, summer after summer, when our parents visited LA, he held the family together by graciously hosting barbeque dinner. On a personal level, I will always be grateful to him for making a huge difference in my daughter’s life by extending a helping hand just when she needed him the most.
In celebrating his birthday, I would like to wish Bobby, the best brother and the best friend a very happy reunion with our parents.
Tina Niem (裘天英)
