Obituary of David Chun tao Yao

David Chun Tao Yao, 86, of Pensacola, Florida passed away on Sunday, March 29, 2020. Born in Shanghai, China, he was 2nd born son of Su Ming and Ai Ling Liu Yao. In the earliest days of WWII, to avoid the occupation of Shanghai, his family fled, first to Taiwan and then to Hong Kong. He was then sent (along with his brother Peter) to boarding school in Leeds, UK at the age of 11. After graduating from Leeds, he was accepted at NC state University in Raleigh, NC where he obtained his degree in textile engineering. He took a job with Chemstrand (Monsanto) in Decatur AL in 1962 which is also where he met and married a young local girl, Roylene McCleskey. At the time of his passing, they had been married for 57 years. They had 2 children, Robert Shawn Yao and Michael David Yao.David was fiercely proud of being an American and, in 1967, he earned/became a US citizen. David took his young family back to Hong Kong in 1972 where he was reunited with his parents and siblings after having been away for over 30 years. After spending 7 years in Hong Kong, he returned to Alabama and worked in Guntersville until 1984. He commuted to St. Louis for a year and finally relocated to Pensacola in 1985 where he worked until retiring in 1996, and ultimately lived out the remainder of his days. David was one of six children and was preceded in death by his parents and his two brothers, John and Peter. His sisters, Cecilia and Mary survive his passing. A loving husband, father and grandfather, David leaves behind his wife, Roylene; sons, Shawn (Kathy Ondrus Yao) and Michael (June Landrum) and four grandchildren – Cassandra, Ethan, Caitlyn and Katrina. David had travelled the world and yet still loved to take cruises and see more of it. Family meant everything to him and he never missed an opportunity to gather everyone and remind us to look after one another. He was one of the rarest of beings; David was truly a Good Man. Honest, responsible, loving and wise. He will be forever missed and all those who knew him will feel his absence in their lives.