Chit Sang (Jackson) Kwong, 86, of Vancouver, Canada, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2023 in Vancouver, surrounded by his family. He was born in Hong Kong to Yuk-Ting Kwong and Luk-Mui Po, on July 15, 1936 and grew up in both Panyu and Hong Kong. While his education was interrupted by the Japanese invasion during WWII, he still managed to pass the university entrance exam, attended Taiwan University, and finished with a degree in Chemical Engineering. The time he spent in Taiwan University was always recalled fondly where he not only developed lifelong friendships with many classmates but also met his wife of 60 years, Regina Wai Fong (married March 4th, 1963).
With a background in chemical engineering, Jackson worked at a fabric factory for a short time before he became an engineer at Hong Kong and China Gas Company where he worked for twenty-two years and became the chief engineer of the company. In 1971, he was sent to England by his company to receive a six-month managerial training. A second professional development took place in Japan for a period of five months in 1973. While he was a hard worker, he was also a family man who always wanted to bring his children to explore new places on weekends. This adventurous heart eventually brought him and the rest of the family to immigrate to Canada in 1981.
Life in Canada as new immigrants was very challenging for a young family from Hong Kong. Having to prove himself again from scratch, Jackson rose to every challenge with humility, courage, perseverance, and hard work. With family in tow, Jackson also selflessly guided and supported each of his family members through the challenging times. He lived in Edmonton for sixteen years before moving to Vancouver in 1997.
He was a caring husband and a generous father, grandfather, and great grandfather who cherished all family gatherings. He was a selfless and considerate man that put others before himself, never wanting to burden others with his own challenges. He had a wonderful sense of humour and often joked with the young and the not-so-young alike. He had an amazing appetite, especially for his favourite dish - pork belly and preserved vegetables ( 梅菜扣肉 ). He was also interested in trying new dishes created by various family members and gave his stamp of approval by giving a big thumbs up. He looked forward to visits from his grandkids and instilled in them the importance of family. He also had an outstanding memory and an excellent understanding of math and science which he loved to share when the opportunities arose.
Jackson is survived by his loving wife, Regina Wai Fong; children, Patrick Kwong (Bernard Lessard) of Montreal, QC; Jacquie (James) Chau of Vancouver, BC; Wendy (David) Kitts of Burnaby, BC; and David (Angie) Kwong of Ottawa, ON; grandchildren: Brandon (Lucy) and Andrew (Cherry) Chau, Colin Kitts, Aiden and Emma Kwong; great granddaughter: Felicity Chau; as well as beloved cousins, nieces, nephews, and dear friends.
Family and friends are welcome to attend his Funeral Memorial Mass, which will be held at St. Augustine Church (2028 West 7th Avenue, Vancouver, BC) on April 22nd, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. For Family and Friends who are unable to attend in person the Mass will be live streamed at: Funeral Mass for Jackson Kwong
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the BC Cancer Agency http://www.bccancer.bc.ca/donate as Jackson had been a generous supporter for the past 15 years.