Ningyu Guan

Ningyu Guan passed away as a result of an accident in Colorado on April 1, 2018. A devoted husband and loving father/grandfather, he is survived by his wife of 42 years, Yinju Zhang, his daughter Jackie Guan (Samson Kwok) and her children Annabelle and Max, his son Justin Guan (Younjung), his older sister Huiquan, and his younger brothers Huiyuan and Xuenong. He is preceded in death by his mother Yuling Pan and his father Yifu Guan. Born in Pingding County, Shanxi Province on April 28, 1947, Guan grew up In Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. He graduated from Hebei Normal University with a BA in English. Guan worked as a Deputy Director in the Shijiazhuang Foreign Affairs Office and was a member of the official delegation that travelled to Des Moines in August of 1985 to sign the Sister Cities Agreement. From that time on, Guan was always looking for ways to promote exchanges between the United States and China. He moved to Des Moines in 1993; and shortly thereafter, formed the Shine-Link International Group, a trading company which grew and prospered. Guan worked closely with many organizations, including the Greater Des Moines Sister Cities Commission, the Greater Des Moines Chamber of Commerce Federation, and the West Des Moines School District to promote cultural, business and educational exchanges. He was active in the Chinese Association of Iowa and was always supportive of trade and political initiatives. Possessing a great sense of adventure, Guan enjoyed traveling. An active person, he liked swimming, exercising, and socializing. Quick to smile, Guan never knew a stranger. An amazing problem solver, Guan always had a solution for every challenge. His greatest pleasure was spending time with his children and grandchildren. Funeral services will be held at Westchester Evangelical Church (4919 Aurora Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310) on Thursday, April 12 at 6 PM. Visitation will be at 4 PM.