Chou Kun ‘Kent’ Hsu, restaurant owner

Chou Kun “Kent” Hsu, 94, of Rehoboth Beach passed away peacefully at home Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2022. Born Nov. 11, 1927, in Guangzhou, China, he was the son of the late Chun Hua Xu and Rui Liu Lao.

Kent survived the Japanese bombing of his native China by hiding in local caves with his family. He left China as a teenager with the Nationalist government to avoid Communist rule. Leaving behind his immediate family, he entered a machinist apprenticeship in Taipei, Taiwan. He never saw his parents in person again. He immigrated to the United States in 1971 with his wife Kimmy and their three daughters under the age of 6, along with their worldly goods in two large suitcases. Although Kimmy and Kent never became fluent in English, they built a business, supported their girls through college, and aided the immigration of his two remaining siblings and their families from China to the United States. After years of hard work in their Chinese take-out, Kimmy and Kent enjoyed a leisurely retirement in Delaware where they have been a large presence in the lives of their grandchildren.

Kent was preceded in death by his beloved daughter Chia Yen “Ann” Hsu, two brothers and his sister. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Kimmy; his daughters Mei Hsu of Raleigh, N.C., and Lily Gosnear (Jeffrey) of Rehoboth Beach; his treasured grandchildren Lauren Gosnear and Jay Gosnear; his brother Zhuo Wang Xu (Ai Feng Pan) of Gaithersburg, Md.; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A private interment will be held in Cherry Hill, N.J., where Kent will rest at Ann’s side. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial gifts be made to the Chia Yen “Ann” Hsu Endowed Scholarship - Westphal College at Drexel University, PO Box 8215, Philadelphia, PA 19101, or drexel.edu/performingarts/scholarships/chia-yen-hsu-scholarship.