Mr. Geoffrey Yu Wong Lau

Geoffrey Yu Wong Lau, 78, architect, businessman and philanthropist, passed away peacefully in his home on the morning of March 24. Born in the Teochew region in southern China, Geoffrey grew up in a peasant farming family helping his mother and brother after his father died young, went to Hong Kong to complete high school, and graduated in 1968 with a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Melbourne. His architectural career included socially conscious work as lead architect on low cost multi-family housing projects for the Western Australian Housing Commission and pioneering hybrid indigenous-modern designs for Hap Seng Sdn Bhd in Sabah, Malaysia. In Hong Kong he worked for Wong & Tung Architects, and in Vancouver, Romses andKwan. In 1975, Geoffrey established Golden Properties, a prominent real estate development and investment company active throughout the western United States and Canada. In 1990, he founded Golden Capital Securities, Vancouver's top Asian boutique retail brokerage and corporate finance firm.

Since moving to Canada in 1974, Geoffrey treasured Canada's multicultural welcome, and worked to strengthen ties between different ethnic communities. He was a founding partner of the award-winning Channel M, western Canada's first multi-ethnic TV station, broadcasting in 22 languages. He was a founding director of the Canadian Maple Leaf Fund, the largest and most financially successful venture capital immigration fund in British Columbia. As a philanthropist and well-known pillar of the Chinese community he provided active support to numerous arts and cultural organizations, immigrant support and community development services, schools, and hospitals, including the Chinese Cultural Centre, SUCCESS, and the Sun Yat Sen Garden.

Geoffrey brought a sense of fun, laughter, and kindness wherever he went, and will be remembered fondly by all who knew him. Throughout the last decade of his life, he faced major health issues but was surrounded by his loving and devoted wife and family. He is survived by his wife Sandra, his son Alex and his wife Anna and their two children, son Brandon, and daughter Jennifer and her husband Steve and their two children. A celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, April 21, at 10:30 a.m. at Forest Lawn Funeral Home (3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby). In lieu of flowers, a donation to the Tzu Chi Foundation would be appreciated.