Shirley Fen-Whey Koh

Shirley Fen-Whey Koh, age 72 of Catonsville, Maryland, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, after a short battle with lymphoma. She was a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and aunt who loved Jesus Christ.

Fen-Whey was born on June 20, 1952, in Taipei, Taiwan, the third of four children. She graduated from National Chengchi University with a BA in Law in 1974 and received an MS in City and Regional Planning in 1979 from The Ohio State University. After briefly working in Indiana, she moved to Baltimore, Maryland in 1980 to work as a transportation planner. It was in Maryland where she met Alfred Poon, and they married in 1982. In 1986, they had their first son, Patrick, and in 1990, their second son, Alex. It was at this time that Fen-Whey dedicated her life to be a homemaker during her sons' childhoods. Afterwards, Fen-Whey took on teaching Chinese at various institutions including lecturer positions at Morgan State University and the United States Naval Academy until her retirement in 2022.

Outside of family and work, Fen-Whey was a proud Taiwanese American and was active in the Taiwanese American community. She took on quilting as her main hobby in the last years of her life. Fen-Whey was an open and loving person known for her candid nature; she always spoke her mind yet remained kind and approachable, always open to conversation with anyone.

Fen-Whey is survived by her husband, Alfred Poon of Catonsville, Maryland; her son, Patrick Poon (Jin) of Kirkland, Washington; her son, Alex Poon of Catonsville, Maryland; her three grandsons, Brian, Andrew, and Joshua Poon of Kirkland, Washington; her two brothers, one residing in Lake Oswego, Oregon, and the other in Taipei, Taiwan; and many nephews and nieces including Siwei Kwok of Bethesda, Maryland, whom she cherished as a son.

Her memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Columbia Chinese Baptist Church 5005 Waterloo Road Ellicott City, MD 21043