Peter Chun-Wan Ng

Peter Chun-Wan Ng 伍鎮環 passed away peacefully in Vancouver in the early hours of Monday September 30, 2024 at the age of 76 after a short battle with cancer. Peter is predeceased by his wife and best friend, Susan, and will be lovingly remembered by his mother Yee Ben, son Tony, daughter-in-law Jean, grandchildren Gavin and Julia, sisters Evelyn (Robert) and Helen (CC), brother Cedric (Lucia), his loving family of in-laws including Susan's brothers and sisters, and his many nieces and nephews and great-nieces/nephews.

Born in Guangzhou, he moved to Hong Kong as an infant, and matriculated as a top student and proud alumnus from Queen's College. In high school, he was one of the top players in the harmonica band, where he developed a lifelong love of classical music. He went on to Hong Kong University to complete engineering studies. There, he developed close friendships with many school colleagues that have lasted until this day, in part through his passionate work as a student leader. But most importantly, it was there that he met Susan, which was the beginning of a loving life together with adventures and challenges on both sides of the Pacific Ocean. To his final days, he would say his fondest memories were their early dates together.

In 1984, he moved with Susan and their young son to Vancouver to begin a new life. It was full of love spent frequently with a wide network of extended family and friends as they too gradually emigrated from Hong Kong. But it was also here, in Canada, where he faced his greatest challenges in life: he was inflicted by many medical problems, including a stroke at a young age, the development of chronic and severe depression, in part because of the stroke, then Parkinson's disease that gradually robbed him of his ability to walk, and finally an aggressive and rare form of thyroid cancer. He always joked that he had set a record for the number of medical specialists he had seen during this life.

Through the unwavering love and strength of Susan, however, and the constant support from his family and friends, especially his mom and siblings after Susan's passing, Peter managed to endure. He found great joy in the years of Tony’s growing up. His son’s studies and activities at home and school were etched deeply in his memory. Family trips during summer vacations and later Tony’s graduations from high school, university and medical school were among Peter’s happiest times. Tony’s wedding with Jean and the arrivals of his two grandchildren, Gavin and Julia, were Peter’s moments of greatest pride and gratitude. The grandchildren’s maturing into healthy, active and happy young people were his main source of strength and hope. It gave him tremendous contentment and joy to see Gavin getting ready to take his high school graduation photo and Julia celebrating her 13th birthday as she began her first year in high school. Very dear to his heart too were visits from many of his old friends. They frequently reached out to him, bringing drinks and snacks he enjoyed, chatting about old times and world events.

His various nicknames from his grandchildren and grand-nephews/nieces have included "scary 爺爺" and "monster 公公", not because he was actually scary, but because he had a vivaciousness that enlivened those around him. No one will ever forget having a meal with Peter when he was free from depression, when he would certainly be the loudest conversationalist at the table. He would always be up for a lively debate about politics or religion, and be happiest to share in some Beethoven pieces at full blast. Family gatherings and meals remained his ‘happy hours’ till the end. Peter’s battle with his ailments, in particular the depression, was long and difficult, but we hope the memories of Peter at his most jovial self will live on.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday October 26, 2024 at 10:00am, at Ocean View Funeral Home. For those who are unable to attend or are out of town, a live cast of the service will be available at https://funeraweb.tv/en/diffusions/98464.

Memorial donations in lieu of flowers can be made to BC Cancer Foundation to support thyroid cancer research (http://donate.bccancerfoundation.com/goto/peterchunwanng).