David Kuan-Ling Hsu passed away on February 18, 2018. He was 93.

David led a remarkable life.He was born in China on April 16, 1925.His childhood was abruptly interrupted by World War II.At age 11, due to advancing enemy forces, he had to flee his village with an older sister, becoming separated from the rest of his family.By age 12, he was on his own, surviving by, among other means, learning to fix vehicles for the Chinese army.Despite the extraordinary obstacles in his early life, David was determined to improve upon his situation through education.

Without access to formal schooling, he largely taught himself.As a young man, he passed a rigorous exam to enter the Chinese naval academy, which had relocated to Taiwan after the war.It was at this time that he also met his future wife, Grace Kuo-Lu Lee.They were introduced by a fellow cadet, Dr. Henry Lee, who is Grace's brother.The couple eventually married, but it was a true test of love and determination.Coming from a background with no means, David had to prove to his future father-in-law that he was worthy of the marriage.He would more than meet this challenge.

David graduated with high distinction from the naval academy.This earned him a prestigious position as personal aid to an admiral of the fleet.He would eventually rise to the rank of commander in the navy.At the time, the best and the brightest were encouraged by the government to study nuclear-related disciplines.David was admitted to the highly regarded Tsinghua University, where he earned a master degree in nuclear engineering.Because of his academic excellence, he was also awarded a graduate fellowship to study abroad.He pursued this study in this country, where he obtained an advanced degree in nuclear engineering from Columbia University in New York.

David then brought his young family from Taiwan to this country.They settled in the New York City area and embarked on a new life together.He was a loving husband and a devoted father.Influenced by his background, he sought to instill academic excellence in his children.His life experience and achievements were powerful inspirations to them.David himself had an accomplished career in nuclear engineering.He specialized in the safety of nuclear power plants.In a career that spanned about thirty years, he oversaw the operation of six plants and supervised nearly twenty engineers.

Upon retirement, David and Grace lived in the Philadelphia area, and then moved to California, settling in Laguna Woods, where they lived for the past dozen years.In the last year of his life, he battled lung cancer, and received treatments to extend his life.The family is grateful for having spent additional quality time with him.

David is survived by his wife, Grace, and his two children, Victor and Anna.Victor is a professor at the Harvard Medical School in Boston.He is married to Eileen Deignan, who is a dermatologist.They have two sons, Evan, who is currently in 10th grade, and Andrew, who is currently in 7th grade.Anna is an internist in Minneapolis.She is married to Kevin Zhang, who is an urologist.They have one son, Brian, who is currently in 10th grade.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, February 24, 2018, at the McCormick and Son Mortuary, 25000 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills.Visitation will be from 9:00 to 10:00 am.Funeral service will start at 10:00 am.There will be a private burial service afterwards.

Please join us in remembering David. Through this site, we invite you to share your thoughts and fond memories with our family.