Pak Chow CHEONG

CHEONG PAK CHOW June 22, 1927 - October 19, 2022 As a boy, Pak Chow was fascinated with aviation. Even during the Japanese occupation of Malaysia during WWII, he continued to build balsa wood model airplanes, which he flew. Such was the precision of his model planes that it impressed the Japanese. His passion led to a distinguished career in aviation. His initial training in this field took him first to Singapore, then to post-war Britain where he trained at the Royal Air Force Shawbury in Shropshire. He was then stationed to remote Malaysian airports and as he progressed up the administrative ranks, he furthered his education in Melbourne and Oxford. From an air traffic controller and amateur pilot, he was the first native son appointed Director of Civil Aviation in Singapore after independence from Britain. Thereafter, his talent, experience and expertise led him to the International Civil Aviation Organization, a specialized body of the UN, which brought the family to Montreal, Canada. His work took him all over the world. As children, we looked forward to his return not so much because we missed him, which we did, but more for the toys and sweets that invariably accompanied him home. Known for showering his family with confections and homemade delights, he was an avid reader, photographer, orchid enthusiast, baker extraordinaire and Chinese porcelain collector. He passed away peacefully at the ripe old age of 95, and was predeceased in 2017 by his wife, Lydia, of over 60 years; his daughter, Philomena, and daughter-in-law, Li-Hsien. He leaves his children, all beginning with "P" (so as to confuse the postman) as his baptismal name was Pancratius - Peter (Amanda), Philomena - deceased (Bong), Paul (Christina), Patricia, Patrick (Esther), Petronella, Pius (Kay) and Philip (Li-Hsien); 12 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. Funeral and interment to take place at Mount Royal Funeral Complex in Montreal at 11:00 a.m. on November 2, 2022 - All Souls' Day. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bishop White Committee Library of East Asia at the Royal Ontario Museum in support of books and periodicals related to Asian art (select "Donate" at rom.on.ca and please choose "ROM Library and Archives" from the funding allocation menu).