Michael and Anita Chui

Michael and Anita Chui, taken October 2006 during vacation in Austria. Michael graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 1963 and worked as a Teaching Assistant for several years at the Chinese University of Hong Kong before studying at the University of California at Berkeley in 1966. There, he did research under Nobel Laureate Charles Townes and obtained his Ph. D. in Astrophysics in 1976. In Berkeley he met his future wife Anita. They were married in San Francisco in 1971, later moving to Canada in 1976 where Michael worked briefly at the National Research Council in Ottawa, and then for Ontario Hydro in Toronto until his early retirement in 2000. At Ontario Hydro he took an active role in advocating employment equity within the corporation. After he retired Michael continued to be an active member of his church and his choir, the Sacred Music Society. He also took up a second career as part-time Chinese language teacher. He was interested in science, politics, classical music, art, reading, travel, writing, singing, watching basketball and Star Trek. He was very proud of singing in a choir for Pope John Paul II when he visited Canada in both 1984 and 2002. In January 2007, one week after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, Michael suffered a heart attack and passed away suddenly. He had just turned 65. It was as if God’s gentle mercy had spared him the prolonged suffering he otherwise would have to endure…He is dearly missed by Anita and their children, Brandon and Diana. Biography by Anita Chui. NEW FOUND ARTICLE BY MICHAEL IN THE 1958 GREEN & WHITE YEAR BOOK.(click)

IN MEMORIAM

Michael is unparalled in his intelligence. With a rare once or twice, Michael always held the top position in our class. In spite of his high intelligence, Michael still always studied hard and applied himself. We were not surprised when he chose the very difficult subject of Astrophysics to study in college. When I saw him again in 2006, I told him that he even started to look like the other genius in that field, Stephen Hawkins. Now he is even ahead of Stephen Hawkins in really understanding what is the true nature of the "Big Bang"! Joseph Ku

To learn more about physics, read New Yorker article. (click)

In Memory of Michael Chui Fan Ming

Let me join in to express my praise and to honor my dearest friend Michael who is lost among us at such an early age. My thoughts are always with him throughout the years when we were tiny and green until we met in Toronto. In many occasions I conversed with him on topics of old traditions and philosophy. We also spoke of astrophysics since it was his expertise and part of my work related experience as well. We all know he was a scholar and a genius on top of his ever-untiring contributions to social well being. Michael is deeply missed by his class of 58. In memoriam, I would like to dedicate the following song to Michael: I’ll walk with God from this day on, His helping hand I’ll lean upon, This is my prayer my humble plea, May the Lord be ever with me There is no death tho’ eyes grow dim, There is no dear when I’m near to Him, I’ll lean on Him forever and He’ll forsake me never. He will not fail me as long as my faith is strong, Whatever road I may walk along. I‘ll walk with God I’ll take his hand, I’ll talk with God He’ll understand, I’ll pray to Him each day to Him and He’ll hear the words that I say. His hand will guide my throne and rod, and I’ll never walk alone, While I walk with God. (Song from "The Student Prince" written by Paul Francis Webster) A deep bow from his old friend of 58 ---Moses Wong