Li Pi Shan Liketting

Liketting Alfred Leslie Li Pi Shan passed away at the age of 84 in his home on December 27, 2020 with his loving and devoted wife Rosemay, his four children, and his sister-in-law Marie-Noëlle by his side.

Ketting will be lovingly remembered and missed by Rosemay, his wife of 48 years; children William (Gisèle), Rodney (Ory), Bradford (Grace), Neal (Christie); grandchildren Peter, Emma, Alexander, Nolan. He is survived by his sister-in-law Florence Li Pi Shan and brother Robert (Helen) Li Pi Shan. Predeceased by his father Li Pan Siong, mother Chu Chew Min, sister Siet Siong, brother-in-law Chin Cheong Peng, and brother Edward. Left to remember Ketting are his nieces and nephews Danielle, Margaret, Veronica, Maryline, Jennifer, Robert, Alice, Edward, Colin, Jennifer, Brian, Amy.

Ketting was born on March 30, 1936 in Mare d’Australia, Mauritius. He attended Chinese Middle School prior to attending secondary school at Royal College Port Louis. Afterwards, he studied at the College of Agriculture in Mauritius and then worked for a few years. Ketting then travelled abroad after having obtained a scholarship to study at the University of Saskatchewan, College of Engineering. He obtained his B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering in 1965. Upon graduation, he chose to return to Mauritius to look after his parents. Ketting worked for a few years, and then accepted a position with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations where he had the opportunity to work in Kinshasa, Congo. While there, Ketting proposed to Rosemay by letter in early 1972. A few weeks later the two were married. After he left the FAO, Ketting worked for MSIRI (Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute) for 5 years. Being a real, true and authentic Hakka, he was determined to follow his dreams of serving humanity and working in different countries. He had the opportunity of sharing his expertise in Maseru, Lesotho for one year, Bangkok, Thailand for one year, and Rome, Italy for three years. After being accepted as immigrants in Canada, the family moved to Bramalea while Ketting completed his third year of contract in Italy. The whole family then moved to Saskatoon where Ketting obtained his Master of Science Degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1986. Upon graduation, he worked at the Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST), Kelsey Institute Campus, in Saskatoon for one year after which he transferred to Palliser Institute where he commuted back and forth between Moose Jaw and Saskatoon every week. In total, Ketting taught at SIAST for 15 years. After retirement, he moved to Montreal in 2009 to help take care of his grandchildren.

Ketting was a dedicated Boy Scout Leader and a passionate member of the Mauritius Chinese Students’ Association. Like a true boy scout, he loved to travel and explore. He was also an exemplary academic, an avid reader of English, French and Chinese literature, and loved to learn about his roots including the Hakka clan. Ketting loved technology and was an early adopter, providing his family with the most advanced computers and electronics. Upon retirement, he loved to solve Sudoku puzzles, always attempting the most difficult ones.

Ketting loved his family deeply and will always be remembered by his grandchildren as their Coung Coung. He was present at all of their births, gave reassurance and guidance to them and also provided the strongest moral, spiritual, and ethical compass for the family, something that they will carry forward throughout their lifetimes. He will be dearly missed.

A private celebration of Ketting’s life will take place on Thursday, December 31, 2020 at 11 a.m. EST at Centre funéraire Côte-des-Neiges, Montréal. The service will be live-streamed at https://funeraweb.tv/fr/diffusions/21924

In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting your favourite charity, or the Alzheimer’s Society https://alzheimer.ca/en or the Leukemia Society https://www.llscanada.org/