Obituary of Kam Thong Cheah

Please click here to view the livestream of the service

Cheah Kam Thong (Philip) was born in Kampar, Perak, Malaysia on July 21, 1946, to Cheah Kam Sooi (father) and Ho Oi Thye (mother), the 10th of 12 children.  Despite the hardships caused by the early loss of his father, he enjoyed a happy family life with his 7 sisters and 4 brothers, under the loving guidance of their mother.  The close relationship with his siblings is something that he cherished all his life.

He was actively involved in extracurricular activities in high school, especially in stage design, the Woodworking Club and with designing the school yearbooks.  On graduating, he moved to Port Dickson, Malaysia, where he started his career at Esso Oil Refinery.  In his spare time, he was a drummer in a local band, The Dry Lizards.  It was in Port Dickson that he met and fell in love with his future and forever wife, Lily Thong.  After two years of courtship, they were married on December 25, 1970.  A year later, they celebrated the birth of their first daughter, Dr. Katherine Cheah, N.D. (Dr. Ruben Manz, D.C.; daughter Eden and son Avi).  Three years later, their family was made complete by the arrival of their second daughter, Dr. Charissa Cheah, Ph.D. (Dr. Bruce Wasserman, M.D.; son Gavriel).

Kam Thong, or Philip, as he was known in Canada, was a true family man.  He and Lily made many sacrifices to keep their family safe and well taken care of.  Their life in Malaysia was joyful and rich, with many opportunities to spend with their extended family and friends.  However, in 1988, they made the brave decision to emigrate to Toronto with almost nothing in their possession, to secure a better education for their daughters.  This meant multiple jobs, long hours, sleepless nights, and even furthering their education in night school.  Throughout these years, there was always an abundance of love, laughter and good food in their home.  When their daughters started their graduate studies, Philip and Lily returned to Malaysia to look after Lily’s parents.

Philip treasured and enjoyed his relationships with both his immediate and extended family, and loved all the time he spent with them.  Whether it was working on a home renovation project, cooking for them, or creating a beautiful piece of art to grace someone’s home, he was always willing to give up time and effort to help his family and friends.  After a long and successful working life in Malaysia, he moved to Regina, Saskatchewan in 2008 to be closer to his family, and to help care for his grandchildren.  He was devoted to and proud of all of them; they definitely thought he was “the best Kung Kung”.  Eden: “He was so full of love for all of us, and one way he showed it was through his chee cheong fun, Chinese roast pork, and other amazing foods. I'll always remember all the good times we had, especially when we got to visit Malaysia together. I'll miss him so much.”; Avi: “He always protected me and kept me safe.  I will remember all the amazing magic tricks he did for me when I was little.  I will miss him and his ‘char siew’ a lot”; Gavriel: “He was always there for me and supporting me, and always encouraged me to learn new things even when he didn’t know them”.  They were very lucky to have had his loving and steady presence in their lives.

Philip had begun his art career during his time in Toronto, where he exhibited and sold his art through several galleries.  However, his retirement and move to Regina allowed him to devote himself more fully to his first passion.  He truly had an artist’s soul; he had the unique ability to capture beauty through any medium and experimented with different styles, including photography, paint, 3D paper art, mixed media, and pyrography. His creativity even extended to the kitchen and the culinary masterpieces that he produced!  He was especially inspired by the beauty of the Saskatchewan landscape and wildlife, and many of his pieces celebrate the unique soul of the Prairies.  Examples of his work adorn many private homes and businesses throughout North America and have been exhibited in Regina as a proud member of the Prairie Artists’ Guild.

Philip was predeceased by his parents, three brothers, three sisters, and many close friends, with whom he will now be reunited.

Philip loved deeply and laughed often.  His infectious smile, gentle nature and creative soul left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him.  He always enjoyed catching up with old friends and getting to know new ones, although his recollection of names could be shaky at times!  He was always surrounded by the children at every family gathering, who were drawn to  his mischievous nature and his ability to make them laugh.  He retained that quality to the very end.  He was truly a Renaissance man - in both his professional and personal lives, there were very few things that he did not try and succeed in.  He will be most remembered for his loyalty and fierce devotion to his family. There are no words to truly express how profoundly he will be missed.  We, his family, are eternally grateful for all that he did for us, and for the tangible and intangible gifts that he left us.

Funeral service will be held at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 2015 4^th Avenue North, Regina, SK, on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. To view the livestream of the service, please click on the link above on the day of the service.