Berling Lee

With great sadness, we announce the passing of our beloved father and grandfather, Berling Lee. Berling was born in Heilongjiang in northeast China in 1936. He grew up in a time of war. For two years during his childhood, he fled with his father, who travelled around China to find work to support the family. At one point, the Japanese bombed a school where Berling and his father were staying. At the time of the bombing, Berling was the only person in the building. He miraculously emerged relatively unscathed from the rubble.

Berling and his family eventually settled in Taiwan. Although he had missed too much schooling in his childhood years to qualify for his preferred field of medicine, the years of peace in Taiwan nevertheless allowed him to thrive in his studies. He graduated with a degree in Forestry in 1957, which instilled in him a lifelong admiration for the majesty of trees.

After graduation, Berling’s career path took a technical turn into the nascent computer industry. In that capacity, working on a project at the major Shihmen Reservoir southwest of Taipei, he met the lovely Hotze (Hsieh). When Berling departed for the United States to pursue a master’s degree in mathematics at New York University, he wisely kept up correspondence with Hotze. Upon his return to Taiwan post-graduation, they married. The subsequent years in Taiwan saw Berling’s career grow at IBM Taiwan. The young family also grew. First came a son, Moshin, and then a daughter, Deishin.

In 1974, the family embarked on a great adventure by immigrating to Canada. They settled in Toronto, among old friends and making new friends in their new home. Berling continued his career at IBM Canada. In 1986, an opportunity came for Berling to go back to China to work at the newly opened Beijing office. There, Berling worked on establishing one of the earliest automated teller banking systems in China. This foreign assignment gave Berling and Hotze another two year adventure working and travelling in the Far East.  Upon returning to Canada, Berling retired from IBM. He and Hotze then moved to Victoria, where Berling worked for BC Systems for a number of years before his second go at retirement.

Berling enjoyed socializing over a game of golf. He played regularly with IBM colleagues and lifelong friends at the IBM Country Club outside Toronto, and then for thirty years at the beautiful Cedar Hill Golf Course and his beloved Uplands Golf Club in Victoria. He always enjoyed the thrill of high-stakes “loonie” competitions with his buddies. Regular outings to the Gordon Head Recreation Centre to enjoy a hot tub chat with pool friends was also a favourite activity.

Berling was an adventurer at heart. His life’s journey took him to Taiwan, New York, Toronto, Beijing, and Victoria. Along the way, he made lifelong friends and raised a family. He never missed an opportunity to display his pride in his grandchildren. We will remember our father as our best playmate – always ready to learn a new sport or game, and always ready for an adventure. We will miss his fun-loving, mischievous spirit and warm-hearted embrace.

Berling’s family is grateful for the compassionate care of the caregivers at the Berwick House, the Victoria Community Dialysis Unit, and the Victoria Kidney Care Clinic.

Berling is survived by his son Moshin (Christina), daughter Deishin (Eric), and grandchildren Maia, Elena, Ian, and Alec, as well as sisters Kuei-Chih, Cecilia, and Ann, and brother Yulin. He was preceded in death by his wife, Hotze.

Condolences may be offered to family below.

McCall Gardens
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