Birdsong Cremations

Stanley Chou

Ryoko Sono

Biography of Stanley L. Chou

Stanley L. Chou was born in New York in 1976 as the third son of Taiwanese parents. He spent his early childhood in a single-family home in New Jersey, growing up and playing alongside his brothers. During his junior high school years, his family relocated to Taiwan, where he later graduated from Taipei American School. He then went on to attend the University of Texas at Austin.
From a young age, Stanley developed strong communication skills and a deep sense of creativity that would become the foundation of his diverse career. It was also during this time that he began learning Japanese.

After graduating from University, Stanley came to Japan through the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Program and taught English at Motosu High School in Gifu Prefecture. He married in 2004, and later worked as a translator at Ishida Taiseisya  a Toyota-related company in Nagoya, where he approached his work with sincerity and dedication.
In 2005, his first son was born, followed by his second son in 2007. When his children were young, Stanley cherished spending time with them. He was always interacting with his sons, playing in the sand, making crafts, and taking walks in the park. During this period, he also founded his own English school in Gifu, and started experimenting with his career options.

In 2011, at the invitation of his childhood friend Harrison, Stanley moved to New York and was entrusted with managing several spas owned by Harrison. At the same time, living in New York allowed him to further deepen his passion for art. His family, too, began a new chapter filled with many first experiences such as new schools, new jobs, and a new life together in New York.

In 2013, Stanley founded ArtistStan Studio. He worked as a graphic designer, storyboard and content creator, and comic artist, and also led the art team at AWA. He devoted himself to sharing his work through social media and built a strong online presence across platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok, where he earned the admiration of many followers.

Stanley’s interests were wide-ranging. He loved drawing Transformers, cooking, playing games, and creating things with his hands. Above all else, however, he looked the happiest when he was spending time with his two sons, Jay and Colin.

In March 2024, Stanley was diagnosed at MD Anderson Cancer Center with splenic marginal zone lymphoma, hemolytic anemia, and cold agglutinin disease. Even in the face of this difficult illness, he confronted his condition with courage, listening to his body, researching in his own way, and fighting with all his strength for the sake of his family.

What Stanley left behind is far more than stories, ideas, and works of art. Stanley was a devoted and irreplaceable husband to his wife, Ryoko, a beloved son to his parents, Wayne and Jessica, a caring and dependable younger brother to Glenn and Aric.

He leaves us with a deep compassion for others, the joy of creation, and a life lived with honesty and sincerity, perhaps a little unpolished at times, but always true to himself.
Until the very end, his mind remained clear, and he held firmly to his own unique worldview.
Stanley lives on in the hearts of his family, friends, and countless fans around the world.

スタンリー・L・チョウ（Stanley L. Chou）略歴

スタンリー・L・チョウは、台湾人の両親のもと、三男として1976年にニューヨークで生まれました。その後、ニュージャージーの一軒家で兄弟とともに、たくさん遊びながら育ちました。
中学生の頃に家族で台湾へ引っ越し、台北アメリカンスクールを卒業後、テキサス大学オースティン校へ進学。若い頃から培った「伝える力」と「創造性」は、その後の多彩なキャリアの礎となりました。日本語を初めて学んだのもこの頃です。

卒業後はJETプログラム（外国語指導助手）として来日し、岐阜県立本巣高校で英語教育に携わりました。2004年に結婚。
その後、名古屋にあるトヨタ関連企業・石田大成社で翻訳者として勤務し、誠実に仕事に向き合いました。2005年に長男が誕生、2007年には次男が誕生します。子どもたちが幼い頃は、砂遊びやクラフト作り、公園への散歩など、たくさんの時間を子どもたちと過ごしました。
その頃、岐阜で英語教室を立ち上げ、起業もしています。

2011年には、幼なじみのハリソンに誘われニューヨークへ移り、彼の経営する複数のスパの運営を任されました。その一方で、ニューヨークという土地で芸術への情熱をさらに深めていきます。家族もまた、学校や仕事など、初めてのことばかりのニューヨークでの生活を歩み始めました。

2013年には「ArtistStan Studio」を設立。グラフィックデザイナー、ストーリーボード・コンテンツクリエーター、コミックアーティストとして活躍し、AWAではアートチームを率いました。自身の作品やソーシャルネットワークにも力を注ぎ、Instagram、YouTube、TikTokなどのSNSを通じて精力的に作品を発信し、多くのフォロワーから支持されていました。

彼の興味は幅広く、トランスフォーマーのイラストを描くこと、より健康的な手作り料理、ゲーム、ものづくりなどを絶えない探究心を持って楽しんでいました。しかし、何よりの喜びは、二人の息子、ジェイとコリンと過ごす時間でした。
その優しさと誠実さから、妻にとってはかけがえのない夫であり、両親のウェインとジェシカにとっては誇り高い息子、兄弟のグレンとエリックにとっても、好奇心旺盛で頼もしい弟でした。

2024年3月、MDアンダーソン・キャンサーセンターにて、脾臓辺縁帯リンパ腫、溶血性貧血、寒冷凝集素症と診断されました。困難な闘病の中にあっても、スタンリーは最後まで病気と向き合い、自分の体の声を聞きながら、彼なりに調べ、精いっぱい家族のために戦ってくれました。

スタンリーの遺したものは、数々のストーリーやアイデア、アート作品だけではありません。人を思いやる心、創造する喜び、そして少し不器用だったのかもしれませんが、まっすぐに生きるその姿勢です。
亡くなる最後の最後まで、彼の頭はとてもしっかりしており、彼なりの世界観を持ち続けていました。
彼は、家族、友人、そして世界中の多くのファンの心の中で、これからも生き続けます。

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Stanley Chou Obituary | Birdsong Cremations