John K.M. Cheng

Dr. John Kwang-Ming Cheng passed peacefully on December 15, 2021, surrounded by family.  Dr. Cheng survived his beloved wife, Marjorie, who passed in 2016 after being married for 53 years.  He was a devoted father and grandfather.  He is survived by three daughters, Betty H.C. Cheng (Philip), Lilly H.C. Cheng Immergluck (Daniel), and Jenny Y.C. Cheng-Serfass (Steven), along with seven-grandchildren (David, Paul, Sarah, Katherine, Anna, Benjamin, and Hannah).

Dr. Cheng was born on October 22, 1926, in Luho Village, located north of Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China.  During his early adult years, he served as an interpreter for Quaker Missionaries working near Nanjing.  His faith in Christianity preceded his work with missionaries and was influenced by the teachings of Dr. John Sung, a renowned Chinese Christian evangelist.  (Dr. Cheng recounted to his children how he had the opportunity to witness Sung's sermon as a child, which inspired him to imitate Sung's style of preaching to others).  In his youth, he was a diligent and hardworking student, dedicated to his academic studies, but he was also a valuable goalie for his school's soccer team.  Since childhood, he was driven by curiosity, discipline, and a strong work ethic, which shaped and guided his lifelong academic and scholarly pursuits, while overcoming significant obstacles and struggles.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a double major in Civil Engineering and Applied Mathematics from Chung Yuan Christian College of Science and Engineering in Zhongli District, Taoyuan City, Taiwan; it was during this time, he met his wife, Marjorie Sheue-Huei Chen.  After passing a highly competitive national entrance examination, he was granted the opportunity to attend graduate school in the United States.  He first earned a Master's degree in Civil Engineering at Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas.  And then in 1969, he earned his Doctorate degree in Civil Engineering and Applied Mathematics at the University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, while raising a family with two young children.  Drawing on his connection to the Quaker faith, he accepted a faculty position as Professor of Mathematics in 1969 at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas, and was later asked to serve as Chair of the Department of Mathematics for seven years.  While he greatly enjoyed teaching and mentoring numerous students over the years of his academic tenure, he decided to join Cessna Aircraft Company and then later moved to Boeing Aircraft as a senior engineer to enable him to apply his engineering and mathematics skills specializing in stress analysis in an industrial setting.  (Along with many other accomplishments while working for Boeing, one of his most notable was that he played a significant role in the design of the Boeing 767 Aircraft).  Based on his contributions, he was recruited to work for the Air Force as a civilian senior engineer and then was asked to serve as a Program Manager for the Air Force One renovation project that was completed in 1987.  He later was employed by the United States Department of Defense, a role in which he served until his retirement in 2008, where he was recognized for numerous accomplishments and awards during his tenure.

During his remarkable lifetime, Dr. Cheng often reflected that while he came from very humble beginnings, he reached the goals and aspirations he set for himself.  Specifically, he was able to fulfill his dream of coming to the United States to achieve his educational goals, marry his college sweetheart, and raise a family in better circumstances than his own childhood, and meet his own career expectations.  From the sacrifices he and his wife made, they were able to raise their three children, and witness each of them achieve their own academic goals.  Specifically, all of his daughters attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois - a university where he was accepted but unable to attend due to financial hardships.  (He and his wife had made a commitment during those early years to one day see their own children attend this university and were so proud when this hope was fulfilled decades later).

Dr. Cheng came to the U.S. with less than $88. in his pocket on a student visa.  He suffered through many harsh circumstances, including surviving the Japanese invasion of Nanjing, China in 1937, but eventually made his way to Taiwan, where he would begin his higher educational journey.  He left his hometown in China at an early age and struggled through extremely impoverished conditions across two continents to eventually reside in the United States.  Although he ported in Seattle, Washington, his initial destination was to Altoona, Pennsylvania to begin his studies, and then eventually to the Midwest - he supported his young family (wife and two infant children) by working various jobs simultaneously, including busboy/dishwasher in multiple restaurants, pedicab driver selling ice cream/milk, and bellhop at the Palmer House, all while continuing his full-time studies.  Dr. Cheng became a naturalized U.S. Citizen in 1976 and remained in Wichita, Kansas for 40 years before moving to East Lansing, Michigan, to be near his eldest daughter and family.  After ten years, in the fall of 2021 he moved to Palmerton, Pennsylvania to be near his youngest daughter and family.

A private viewing for the immediate family was held at Campton Funeral Home in Palmerton, Pennsylvania on December 15, 2021.  Plans will be made to hold a memorial service for friends and extended family at a later date.  The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to his lifelong friends Don & Phyllis Camp, wonderful caring neighbors both in East Lansing, Michigan, and in Wichita, Kansas, Ms. Molly Behan (Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania), Dr. Raza Haque (Lansing, Michigan), Dr. Joe Zhou (Palmerton, Pennsylvania), the amazing care team of St. Luke's Hospital, Carbon Campus, and to the staff at The Palmerton (An In Spirit Senior Living Community).  The respect, care, and compassion he was shown are truly appreciated.