Obituary of Y-Chen Elizabeth Kuo

Y-Chen Elizabeth Kuo, age 64, passed away on September 3, 2021 near Coralville, Iowa. A service and reception will be held on Sunday, September 12, beginning at 10am CT for family members and at 11am CT for friends and colleagues. Y-Chen was born on October 9, 1956 in Taipei, Taiwan to an esteemed navy family. She deeply admired her mother and father, the latter a navy admiral and diplomat who preceded her in death. Like her parents, she loved language and literature and studied abroad in Japan and the United States during her youth. She grew up surrounded by a caring network of extended family, many of whom she remained close to her entire life. Soon after receiving her medical degree, Y-Chen moved with her husband to the United States, where her daughter and son were born and raised. She pursued her career in San Francisco (UCSF), Iowa City (University of Iowa) and Dallas (UT Southwestern), before returning to the University of Iowa in 2018. She worked tirelessly to provide for her family and her patients, even after battling and surviving cancer twice herself. Her attention to the smallest of details and her ability to connect with those around her made her a favored attending not just to residents and fellows, but to the patients who were never just “routine” to her. Beyond her professional accomplishments, Y-Chen will forever be remembered as a selfless wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. Whether through her cooking, heartfelt words, or funny dog videos, her priority was always to protect and comfort. Not long before her passing, she was able to see her son get married, welcome a daughter-in-law into the family, and meet her first grandchild, all of which brought her great joy. Y-Chen will be dearly missed by many, including by her mother (Athenia), brother (Jerome), husband (Chou-long) and children (Jocelyn and Ivan), who survive her.