Raymond Low Suen

C. Budd Colby, Ph.D. passed away quietly at home in Menlo Park, California on July 23, 2022. Budd had suffered from a long illness and was amongst family and friends on at the time of his passing. Budd was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Colby of Memphis, Tennessee. Budd was born and grew up in Tennessee, earning a B.S. in Chemistry from Memphis State University. He received his Ph.D. in protein biochemistry and microbial genetics while training at the Biochemistry Department of the Medical School at the University of Kentucky.

Budd had long been interested in the “Interferon system” (IFN), a first line of defense by cells exposed to a virus infection. It was reported that a physician in Sweden had successfully treated a group of young men suffering from bone cancer with a partially purified preparation of Interferon. Headlines soon appeared asking, “Is Interferon the Answer to Cancer?” Two years later, recombinant DNA technology had become a reality, and the Biotech Industry was born.

Dr. Colby set up and directed the recombinantDNA IFN program at Cetus Corporation in Berkeley, California. Surprisingly, recombinant-DNA was found to be most effective in treating multiple sclerosis (MS) which was welcome news for MS patients. Now, some 30 years later, there are over nine FDA-approved MS drugs on the market.

Upon retirement, Dr. Colby volunteered his services to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS) and served as a Trustee for the California Chapter of NMSS for Strategic Planning. Budd also had a longstanding love affair with horses, acquiring his first horse while living in Connecticut. He joined the Mounted Patrol of San Mateo County, California and was elected Captain some years later.

Budd was also instrumental in forming and supporting the Mounted Patrol Foundation, a philanthropic organization dedicated to supporting riding trails and the greater Woodside equestrian community. “Captain” Colby rode with the Shack Riders and several other equestrian groups, including the color guard in support of the Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Budd served on the Board of Directors of the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy (NCEFT) for twenty consecutive years, including several as Chairman, and received the coveted title of Chairman Emeritus upon retirement. Budd once remarked, “My involvement with the NCEFT has been the most heartfelt and rewarding effort of my life. Witnessing the joyful achievements of disabled and trauma-induced children and military veterans is a wonderful thing to behold.”

Budd is survived by his loving wife, Charlotte Ann “Chalan” Colby (nee Helmholz), two daughters, Charlotte “Charlie” (Ricardo) Soto and Catherine (Nathan) Arthur, and his two sons Clinton “Clint” Colby and Charles “Chuck” (Elizabeth) Colby.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 PM, Sunday, September 11, 2022, at the Family Farm, 1400 Portola Rd, Woodside, CA. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the National Center for Equine Facilitated Therapy or the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Raymond Low Suen has moved onto his next big adventure at the age of 102.

Born in San Francisco, he was brought to Canton, China at three years old where he lived with family and studied until 1935 during which time his mother and sister died from smallpox.

Ray returned to Walnut Grove to work in the pear orchards and then San Francisco. After two short years, he again went back to China to care for his ailing father, attending Daisung High School in Canton.

July 7, 1937, the Japanese invaded China and inspired by Sun Yat Sen, Raymond found his calling, joined the resistance, serving as news broadcaster for the Central Guoyin Records. In 1938, he was sent back to San Francisco where he found his way to Mill Valley and was welcomed into the Buttner family where he continued his education. While a student, he established the San Francisco City Youth National Salvation Corps, dedicated to promoting overseas Chinese anti-Japanese propaganda activities. 1939, he established the Chinese Workers Cooperative Association and launched a campaign alongside the San Francisco City Seaside Trade Union to sanction the daily supplies to the Japanese Army. In 1940, Ray helped create the San Francisco City Chinese New Character Conference to promote the Latinization of Pinyin characters. He then served as the English Secretary Representative of the San Francisco Chinese Workers Cooperation Association and sang with group on the radio until he was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1941 as a Chinese American to serve at the border of Myanmar after the Pearl Harbor attack.

In 1942, he served in the 3562d Ordnance Heavy Maintenance Company as small arms weapons mechanic, marksman, Captain and unit photographer, supervising a crew of 7 men landing on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in France earning 5 Bronze Stars. He continued to stay and travel through Cornwall,

England, Europe, Africa and the Middle East until the end of the war.

He married in August 16th, 1947 to Mary Mar, returned to Mill Valley, then moved to San Francisco where he worked for the Recorders Office until 1956 when he began his career at the De Young Museum and became a nationally recognized art photographer. During this time, he became the Interpreter of the Yeong Wo Benevolent Association and the Founder and former Chairman of the Duck Sen Association in Chinatown. He then left in 1970 to become the photographer for City Hall and foreman of reproduction until he retired in 1978 to open Ray’s Pearl & Jade.

He loved It’s A Small World at Disneyland and saw his life reflected in the character Littlechap in the musical “Stop The World - I Want To Get Off”

In 2020 Raymond, along with his brother Kingland was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for Chinese American Veterans of WWII https://www.caww2.org/ army-qrstuv Raymond Low Suen is survived by his four children Raymond, Claudia, Diana and Ronald, grandchildren Kolsoum, Gary, Jesse, Kelly, Alanna, Jaspre and great grandchildren Kaitlyn, Adeline, Vanessa and Raelyn

A private ceremony will be held October 14th where he will be placed at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery

In honor of Raymond and his love of Yosemite, you can donate to the Yosemite Conservancy at yosemite. org

Additional images can be found at www.raymond. suen.com