Mr. Kenneth Pui-Kwong Chan

Ken Chan passed away at Burnaby Hospital in Burnaby, British Columbia on April 4, 2023 at the age of 75 after having enjoyed a beautiful life filled with laughter, a few tears, plenty of singing, and lots of love.

Born in Hong Kong on November 11, 1947, Ken was raised by his mother and three older brothers – Peter, Stephen, and Bernard. Although his father passed away when he was only an infant, Ken was always brought to tears when reminiscing about how cherished he felt as the baby of the family. Though they didn’t have much, Ken never lacked for anything because he knew he was loved. So, when his family supported him to go to Canada to study at Queen's University and make a better life for himself, it was a sacrifice that Ken never took for granted.

Ken arrived in Kingston, Ontario in 1967 as a 19-year-old with little English, no friends, and without much money. He would take ketchup packs from restaurants and mix them in hot water to make "tomato soup". One of his first jobs was working as a cook at the local Chinese restaurant where he made the tea. His boss told him "just put four tea bags" because the tea was watered-down for the elderly patrons. Somehow, the tea always tasted better when Ken was making the tea that day and that helped him to become fast friends with the locals. They would joke, "Ancient Chinese secret, eh Ken?" and Ken just smiled and shrugged. “It's no secret. I just put forty bags like boss said." Ken’s fun-loving nature helped him to embrace his time at Queen’s including going with friends to watch Queen’s Golden Gaels football games. In 1972, Ken graduated from Queen's University with a degree in Engineering specializing in metallurgical engineering - an accomplishment that gave him a great sense of pride.

After graduating, Ken returned home to Hong Kong and married Amy Kwok. Ken brought his new wife back to Canada and to northern Ontario as he began his professional career working at Sherman Mine in Temagami. After saving some money, the couple settled in nearby North Bay and in 1974 they became parents with the birth of their son, Victor. This was followed two years later by the birth of their daughter, Bonnie. Fatherhood was something that brought Ken much joy and purpose. Not having grown up with a father of his own, being a loving father to his own children was of utmost importance to him. It became clear early on that Ken's work as a metallurgical engineer would mean living in small towns with nearby mines. After Ontario, Ken took a position at a potash mining company called IMC, and the family moved to Esterhazy, Saskatchewan. Once again, Ken quickly endeared himself to his new co-workers and the surrounding community. However, it was not as easy of an adjustment for Amy, a young mother at home raising kids, not knowing the language, and completely separated from the culture that she grew up in. Seeing that small-town life was not ideal, Ken and Amy decided to move to Calgary, Alberta where Ken intended to further his education and improve his career opportunities.

Before the family could get settled in Calgary, Ken was offered a job with Syncrude Canada just up the highway in Edmonton. After initially moving into an apartment near Millbourne Mall, Ken and Amy realized a dream and built their first new home at 4828 - 22nd Avenue in the neighbourhood of Millwoods. As luck would have it, the Choy Family – Tony, Cecilia, and Veronica - moved in right next door and became best friends. It meant so much to have a close connection with other people from Hong Kong. Shortly after, they met the Chau Family – John, Wendy, and Peter. Together they became their family away from home as they played Mahjong, went to dim sum, and sent their kids to Chinese school together. Living in a bigger city and having close friends rejuvenated Ken's spirit and helped Amy feel more at home in Canada. Life in Edmonton in the early 1980s were filled with many wonderful times and happy memories for Ken and his family. However, in 1983 Syncrude Canada moved Ken and his family to Fort McMurray to be closer to the oil sands in Northern Alberta. Although not as difficult as before, small town living gradually took its toll again. In 1988, Ken decided to move the family back to Edmonton while he kept working up north. He planned to make the tiring 5-hour commute back-and-forth by car or by bus every weekend until he found a different job opportunity. It was a grueling lifestyle and Ken started experiencing heart problems in 1992. The new job opportunity that he hoped for never came so Ken kept on working and commuting until he was finally able to take early retirement.

Ken always looked forward to retirement and to being able to rest and relax. He and Amy moved to Vancouver to be able to help take care of their first grandchild, Bonnie’s daughter Breanna. Soon after, Victor also moved to Vancouver and Ken was happy to be able to finally enjoy life with his family again and never think about work (though he remained proud to always call himself a professional engineer). Over the next few years, four more grandchildren entered the picture and Ken enjoyed being a grandpa. However, unexpected financial losses and family issues changed Ken’s retirement plans significantly. In April 2013, Ken remarried and he and his wife Lu (Helen) Hou started travelling together – something that he always longed to do in his retirement. Ken also played tennis and ping-pong and sang karaoke. His favourite songs were from artists like the Beatles, The Carpenters, Barbara Streisand, Tom Jones, and Neil Diamond and he always sang as if he sounded better than the real thing (though he definitely did not). These songs were the soundtrack of his life and singing them always brought him joy. However, Ken’s failing health made it harder and harder for Ken to enjoy the things that he loved to do. Although his loved ones always worried about him, Ken rarely ever asked people for help because he didn’t want to be a burden. It hurt his pride to ask for help and he despised when people made a fuss about him. Ken would always say to his kids, “Don’t worry about me. I’m OK. If I need your help, I’ll let you know. I love you.” Ken always made sure to say those three words – “I love you”. Lu stayed hopelessly devoted to Ken during the last few years of his life, always by his side.

Ken is survived by his wife Lu (Helen), daughter Bonnie, son Victor, daughter-in-law Yvonne, ex-wife Amy, grandchildren Breanna, Madison, Jaden, Evangeline, and Julian, his brothers Bernard and Stephen and their wives and many nieces and nephews and friends. We all have many fond memories of his smile and laughter. He is dearly missed and always in our hearts.

We love you.