Kevin Lai Keong Fong Sang

“Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Kevin Lai Keong Fong Sang, it summarized in every way who he was. He was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around him and always thinking before acting. He was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything he did. He was a friendly person who truly cared about those around him.

       He was the son of Charles Fong Sang and Shiu Kum Kwok. Raised in Duntow , Chung Shan, China , Hong Kong and Suva, Fiji, he was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, he learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that he would carry with him throughout his life.

      As a young boy, Kevin was always aware of how others around him felt and this quality served him well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Kevin was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Kevin was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where he could concentrate, Kevin also had the ability to relate well with his family and friends. Kevin had 6 siblings. Raymond Lai Man, Molly Kun Beek, Laurence Lai Kin, Leonard Lai Ngong, Arnold Lai Nung, Bernard Lai Hin.

      Growing up, Kevin was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. He was content to entertain himself. Kevin was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, he was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything he did as a child, Kevin was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around him. Kevin took part in a number of activities as a child. He took part in soccer. In his spare time he liked to collect stamps and coins. Kevin 's memorable achievements included qualifying for Auckland Senior B Association Football Team.

      Kevin enjoyed learning. He always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Kevin was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. He often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Kevin was painstaking and accurate in his efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. He graduated from Lingnan College in 1944. Kevin enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers.

      Kevin had a good disposition for the challenges of college. He always enjoyed reading, so all of those lengthy required reading assignments seemed to be less of a burden for him. In fact, Kevin seemed to absorb and remember everything he read. Not all things came easily to Kevin , however, and he found success by being a diligent and accurate person who would dig into a project and work through until it reached its completion. He was very thorough and labored long and hard in order to reach his goals. He earned his accounting degree from Lingnan University.

      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Kevin . On 1957 Kevin married Angela Sook Ha Lau in Hong Kong. He was totally committed to Angela and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Kevin naturally sensed his spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Kevin disliked conflict, he did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.

      Kevin was a good father to his children. He had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because he trusted emotions, Kevin was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way he seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around him, always thinking before acting. In addition, Kevin was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around him might be, he seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Kevin was blessed with 2 children daughter Pauline and son Eddie and 2 grandchildren, grand daughter Chelsea and grandson Jordon.

      If you gave Kevin a deadline, he would meet it. At work, Kevin was always on task. Without hesitation, Kevin could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. His primary occupation was life insurance agent. He was employed by Prudential for 25 years. During that time, Kevin excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. He was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Kevin was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Kevin had a true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. He was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.

      Kevin liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Kevin 's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Kevin preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were stamp collecting and coin collecting. Kevin was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying his hobbies all by himself and could often be found just reading about his favorite pastimes.

      While thorough and measured in his approach to things, Kevin often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. He was like that with sports. In high school, Kevin played soccer. In his college years, Kevin continued to stay active by soccer. Recreational sports included golf and badminton. He also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, he was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite teams whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were soccer.

      Due to his excellent organizational skills, Kevin was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which he belonged. Kevin could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Kevin was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout his life in Vancouver, Kevin was an active member of the Shon Yee Benevolent Association of Canada; Lung Jen Benevolent Society; Soo Yuen Society.

      Kevin was active in the community. He was practical and grounded and based his decisions on first hand experience. He was responsible and liked working to achieve results rather than just chattering about possibilities. Kevin was a member of several community groups, he was an Elder at the Chinese Presbyterian Church; Vice Treasurer of Shon Yee Benevolent Association; Chairman of Lung Jen Benevolent Society; committee member of Soo Yuen Society.

      An individual who respected and maintained traditional values, faith was important to Kevin . His compassion, consideration and sympathy toward others was evident in his personal beliefs. He was a member of Chinese Presbyterian Church for 53 years. During that time, he was the Elder of the Chinese Presbyterian Church, served on the Session committee and Finance committee.

      Doing things to help others seemed to come naturally to Kevin . He never set out to gain individual recognition, but the praise and accolades given him for his many and varied efforts throughout his life were well deserved. Some of his most prestigious awards included National Quality Award from the Insurance Industry; Gold Seal Award; Diamond Seal Award and Gibraltar Club Award.

      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Kevin had smooth sailing. He was easy going and enthusiatic. His many vacations included Miami Beach, Florida, Bahamas, New York, China, New Zealand, Caribbean, Mexican and Alaskan Cruise.

      Kevin had Nandi a Cocker Spaniel and Terrier Mix dog, who was his best friend for 16 years. Kevin was as loyal to his pets as they were to him.

      When Kevin 's retirement finally arrived in 1991, he was well prepared. He had taken the time to learn about his various options and chose his course wisely. His new life involved relocating to Metrotown area of Burnaby. In retirement, he found new pleasure in staying active in church and being very involved with the grandchildren. Even in retirement, Kevin continued to stay in touch with his old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. He was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered him.

      Kevin passed away on August 15, 2018 at Burnaby General Hospital. He is survived by his children Pauline , Ed and Rhonda; his grandchildren Chelsea and Jordan; his brothers Raymond, Len, Arnold and Bernard. Services were held at Ocean View Chapel Kevin was laid to rest in Heavens Gate located at Ocean View Cemetery.

      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Kevin was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Kevin was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of man to whom everyone was drawn. He was thorough and practical. Kevin Fong Sang was very genuine and authentic. He was loving and kind to all. He will be missed.

A DAUGHTER'S TRIBUTE

As other have already noted my Dad was a wonderful man. It's difficult to come up with all the words to completely describe my father, but here are some of the ways I think about him; courageous , selfless, generous, and kind. He was my hero.

Early in his life, my dad demonstrated great courage. Dad was the fourth of seven children and he was the only child to be born in China. All of his siblings were born in Fiji. The family travelled back and forth between Fiji and China until his mother fell ill and died. At this time the family was separated, the two eldest boys were sent to boarding school in Hong Kong and the two youngest returned to Fiji with my grandfather. My father, the middle child, remained behind in China to care for his handicapped sister....he was only six years old.

I can't imagine how lonely and scared my dad must have felt at this time, left behind with no parents or brothers and having to survive the brutal Japanese invasion of China. My father rarely spoke about this period of his life but I think he must have been incredibly brave to have lived through this ordeal.

After the war my Dad went to Auckland to attend college and I think this was a very happy time of his life....he just loved New Zealand.

In 1957 he married my mother and they moved to Fiji. Life was good for Dad because he was finally reunited with this father and brothers. But this changed after Eddie and I were born and it was decided that there would be more opportunities for the family in Canada. So again showing great courage and wanting to do what was best for the family, my Dad travelled to Vancouver alone. Even though he didn't know anyone when he arrived, he got a job and found a place for the family to live. Dad waited for 18 months before we would join him. This is another time in my Dad's life, when he was alone, without his family, and working hard to make things better for other people, in this case his wife and children.

I don't think my father ever forgot what it was like to be alone in a foreign country. I'm sure it was those experiences that led him to be involved in the Shon Yee Benevolent Society and Lung Jun Association. I recently learned more about my father's kindness from his friends. They shared with me stories about how my father was the first person they met upon arriving in Vancouver and helped them get settled. I'm sure his generosity and kindness have not been forgotten.

I want to share with you another example of how my father was a kind- hearted person. Dad and I were driving and we passed an elderly man waiting at a bus stop in the pouring rain. Dad just pulled over and asked the man if he would like a ride somewhere. I sometimes think about this spontaneous act of kindness and wonder if this was something that he did often. But Dad wasn't inclined to talk about these things because he was humble and never boastful. I think he simply acted from his heart and found reward in helping others and not seeking recognition for what he did.

But now let me share with you my favourite story about my Dad that again reflects his loving kindness. It was my first time baking and I decided to make blueberry muffins. I was so proud of my creation. But when I served the muffins to my family everyone came up with an excuse for not eating one., I remember my brother couldn't eat one because he was going to play hockey. My mother decided suddenly to go on a diet, and even our dog Nandi took a sniff and bolted outside. But my Dad, with a smile on his face, slowly ate the muffin. He managed to choke it down and told me how delicious it was. Even though the muffin tasted awful my father couldn't bear the thought of hurting my feelings. He not only showed great courage eating the muffin but also what a loving father he was.

Mom and Dad were married for 60 years and over the last 8 years they both faced health challenges. My mother had Alzheimer's and at times her behaviour was difficult for those people around her. But my father endured. He honoured his marriage vows " for better or worse and in sickness and in health" and continued to love and care for her. It was my mother's greatest wish to pass away first. She did not want to be left alone. Despite my father's frail health he fulfilled her wishes by outliving her 230 days.

I'm certain Dad is with Mom now. On the day that he passed, I was at his bedside and I had a vision of my mother in heaven making preparations for a banquet. She was very happy and excited and I could see the guests were arriving; my grandmother, my grandfather, my aunt and uncles. They were all seated and anxiously waiting for someone. At 5:50 pm my father peacefully passed away. He had a dinner date and a feast was waiting for him.

When I think about this vision, I'm convinced that my father wanted to give me one last gift......the comfort of knowing that he is with Mom and surrounded by others we have said goodbyes to.

My father is my true hero. I will love you forever Dad.

* * * * * * * * * *

It is with profound sadness and warm memories that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved father, and devoted grandfather on August 15, 2018, surrounded by the love of his family. Predeceased by his loving wife of 60 years Angela, Kevin is survived by his daughter Pauline and son Ed (Rhonda), grandchildren Chelsea and Jordan, brothers Raymond, Leonard, Arnold, Bernard.

A memorial service followed by a reception will be held at Ocean View Funeral Home (4000 Imperial St. Burnaby, B.C) on September 1, 2018 at 11:00 a.m.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.OceanViewFuneral.com for the Sang family.