Born on October 11, 1917 in China, he was the son of Yi Jung Shen and Mary Shiu Nan Tai Shen. Mr. Shen was a prodigy and graduated from Soochow University with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at 17 years old-the youngest graduate ever in the University?s history. His post graduate education was intermittently interrupted by war and finally received a Master?s Degree in Chemistry at age 21 from the University of Nanking. During the early years of WW II, he invented a process to convert peanut oil to gasoline and directed the construction of refinery plants to implement his process to help keep the isolated Free China?s war machine running. He moved to Taiwan before the Communist overran mainland China and directed the overhaul and construction of a modern fertilizer factory which helped fuel the agrarian reform for the Republic of China. He was instrumental in forming the Chinese Chemical Society at Taiwan and was the first Editor In Chief. He became intensely interested in plastics and conducted independent research in this new field. He invented plastic bottle caps and was awarded a patent by the Chinese government. His reputation was recognized and he was invited to be the VP and Chief Engineer of Formosa Plastics and was instrumental in building the company into the top plastic producer in Taiwan. In 1958, by a special act of Congress, he immigrated to the United States of America and became a U.S. citizen. He joined the Borden Chemical Co. at Leominster, MA and had major inventions and patents such as the vinyl LP records and clear plastic material both of which became major consumer products world wide. After retirement from the Borden Co., he joined the U.S. Mint at New York City and Philadelphia, PA and became a Supervisor, Assay Branch and developed a computer program to automate the analysis process. He retired in 1984 and lived in Washington?s Crossings and Doylestown, PA. In 1997, he moved to St. Mary?s County, MD until his death by cancer of the pancreas.
He is survived by his wife, Yar Tsing Chen Shen, two sons, Chyau N. Shen and Hwa N. Shen, one grandchild, and two brothers, John C. and Shao Kang Shen.
All services private.
Memorial contributions pancreas cancer research may be made to the Johns Hopkins University c/o Ralph H. Hruban, M.D., Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, 401 North Broadway, Weinberg 2242, Baltimore, MD 21231-2410.