Funeral date: Monday 3/23/2026

Brown & Hickey Funeral Home

36 Trapelo Rd, Belmont, MA 02478

9am-10am Visitation

10am-11am Funeral Service

Newton Cemetery and Arboretum

791 Walnut St, Newton, MA 02459

11:30am Burial

Joyful Garden

550 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472

12:30pm Lunch

Yao aka Liam Tan is one of my best friends—I’ve known him since elementary school, and we even went to UMass Amherst together. We’ve always been there for each other, and now, in this time of need, I’m helping him with this GoFundMe.

On March 13th at 6:30 AM, Liam’s father, Shi Bin Tan, passed away after a long and difficult battle with cancer. Liam and his family are now facing the heavy burden of funeral and memorial expenses as they try to honor his father’s memory.

Shi Bin Tan was born on November 11th, 1959, and immigrated to the United States in 1989 at 30 years old, leaving behind a stable life in China to build a future for his family. He spent over 30 years working tirelessly in restaurant kitchens as a cook, chef, and small business owner to support his wife and three children. Even after long days of work, he would come home and cook for his family, making sure they always had good food on the table. Some of Liam’s favorite memories are watching his dad make fried noodles, beef oxtail soup, and ginger scallion lobster in their kitchen. Shi Bin Tan believed deeply in loyalty, responsibility, and taking care of the people close to him—values he passed on to his children.

In 2021, Shi Bin Tan was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer and fought bravely for five years through chemotherapy, radiation, and even a clinical trial in his final months. Liam was able to be by his side at the end, witnessing his father’s strength and love for his family. The day before he passed, everyone he wanted to see came to visit him, and he passed peacefully the next morning after saying goodbye to those he loved. We’re grateful for any support that helps us honor Shi Bin Tan and give him the farewell he deserves. If you knew the family, sharing this page would mean a lot to us. Thank you.