Nien-Hwa Lin Chen

Nien-Hwa Lin Chen, 73 of Carmel, passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, April 1, 2020,
surrounded by her loving family. Nien-Hwa was born July 30, 1946 in I-lan Hsien, Taiwan to Jung-Hsian
Lin and Hui-Ching Liao. She graduated from Chinese Culture University in 1971 with a Bachelor of Music.
With their two toddler daughters, Sonia and Wendy, in tow, she and her husband, Ching-Chang Chen,
immigrated to Kansas in 1979 in search of better opportunities for their family.

For the next 40 years, Nien-Hwa continued to pursue her love of music. She took advanced piano
classes at the University of Missouri in Kansas City from 1980-1983 and began teaching private piano
lessons. In 1986, Nien-Hwa and her family, which now included her son, Steve, moved to Carmel, where
Nien-Hwa continued to dedicate her life to teaching piano to local children. Over the years, she shared
her passion for music with hundreds of students. She was actively involved as a member of the
Indianapolis Piano Teachers Association and Indianapolis Matinee Musicale, and she continued to teach
her students until the last month of her life. Nien-Hwa was a strong, generous and kind person, always
putting the needs of others before her own. She never let the little things bother her and always tried
to put others at ease. Throughout her courageous battle with cancer, she was always the one reassuring
family and friends. You would often hear her say, “You don’t have to worry. Worrying won’t help.”

Nien-Hwa is survived by her beloved husband of 45 years, Ching-Chang Chen; children, Sonia (Ian)
Arnold, Wendy (Chris Perkins) Chen and Steve (Laura) Chen. Nien-Hwa was a proud grandmother of six
grandchildren (Evan, Lena, Mackenzie, Cody, Teagan and Chloe). She is survived by five sisters and a
brother. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends around the world.

Private services will be held for the family on Monday, April 6, 2020. Nien-Hwa will be laid to rest at
Hamilton Memorial Park Cemetery, 4180 Westfield Rd., Westfield, IN, 46062. A public memorial service
will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Indianapolis Piano Teachers Association
c/o Naoko Wallace, 13716 Van Buren Place, Fishers, Indiana 46038 or search IPTA Piano on Venmo.
https://iptatemp.weebly.com/ Donations fund student awards for the Scholarship Competition, where
Nien-Hwa served as a committee member.