Mr. Alex Wing Joe Chan

Alex Wing Joe Chan, aged 75, of Vancouver, B.C. passed away on June 22, 2018. He was born on September 11, 1942 to Charles Jack Hong Chan, and Mamie Huang Mei Chan in Chengdu, Sichuan Province as his father was in the army. The family was originally from Goon Zhuw Island, Pan Yu, Guangzhou Province. His grandfather, Chen Ming Pou, arrived in Canada in 1886 in his early 20s, as a textile wholesaler, tailor, casino owner, and philanthropist. The whole family received automatic Canadian citizenship due to their father’s Canadian birth.

Alex immigrated to Canada in 1965, when he was 23 years old. He had studied law for 2 years in Taiwan, and then enrolled in Engineering at UBC after completing university pre-requisites. His first job in Canada was with the Consulate General of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for 5 years, until Canada established diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China (China). After the Taiwanese consulate was closed, in 1972 Alex found work as a printer, in the Sweet Sixteen Apparel shop, and then transitioned to working in its warehouse in shipping. In 1974, he moved to an insurance company, doing offset printing. In 1979, he found a job with the Provincial Government, printing for the Drug and Alcohol Commission. In 1980, he moved to work for Riverview Hospital where he continued in shipping until his retirement. From 1976 to 2004, Alex had a personal business in printing. He was a hard worker, working day and night.

He was introduced to his future wife Selina Chen in 1973, by an old classmate, when he was in Taipei for an Overseas Chinese Business Convention. He proposed to her that same year when he was 31, and she was 27. They corresponded for another three years until 1976 when there was another convention, and then they married. Within 3 months of applying for her visa, it was approved and she came to Canada. 2 years later, their daughter Christine was born. Five years later, a son, Edmund was born.

The most interesting part about Alex was that he considered himself an inventor above all. It was his passion, and he devoted hours to studying mechanics and aviation. The home was filled with books and this instilled a love of reading and research particularly in his daughter. He was also an avid collector of stamps, coins, jade, currencies, and Chinese ceramics, filling the family home with antiquities.

The legacy of Alex Wing Joe Chan’s spirit and passion for innovation will live on through his children, Christine and Edmund, and his grandchildren, Zachary and Mia.