Cheng-Mong Lin

December 29, 1946 - July 4, 2020

Cheng-Mong Lin passed away early in the morning of July 4, 2020. He is survived by his two daughters, Carol Lin-Murphy and Kimberly Lin; and his sisters, Gin-Lan Lin, and Ching-Yun Lin. He has 4 grandchildren: Theodore Hamilton (6); Daphne Hamilton (3); Henry Hamilton (1); and Jack Murphy (4). Our mother, and his beloved wife, Deborah Lin, passed away in 2012. Our dad, Cheng-Mong, or C.M., as he liked to be called, was born on Dec. 29, 1946 in Qingdao, China, the youngest of eight children. In 1949, his family fled the Communist takeover of China and resettled in Kaohsiung Taiwan. He attended National Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan, and graduated with a B.S. and M.A. degree in architecture in 1973. He and my mother met in Tainan and were engaged even before he left for the U.S. to attend graduate school at the University of Oklahoma. In 1973, he came to the US for graduate school and earned a Master’s degree in regional and city planning from the University of Oklahoma in 1975. In the same year, he and my mother were married in Norman, Oklahoma. He also earned a masters in business administration from the Southwestern State University in 1988. In 1976, he was hired by the Southwestern Development Authority (SWODA) out of Burns Flat, Oklahoma, and settled his family in Weatherford, Oklahoma. There, he and my mother raised us, and we lived an idyllic and quiet life. My parents’ life together revolved around their home and family. Whenever Dad traveled away from home on business, whether near or far, he never failed to send us a postcard or to write a letter to us. He was a devoted father and deeply believed that education was the path to a secure and successful future. Both he and Mom spared no expense to make sure we had the best education they could provide. They saved as much as they could to be able to provide for our future, and along the way, we had piano, dance, and vocal lessons, in addition to numerous different activities over the years, including playing sports and being part of debate and show choir. A well-rounded education was paramount in my parents’ eyes. They were proud of their own hard work, paying off their house, and being able to provide for us to attend the University of Chicago and Vanderbilt University. They both greatly valued family. Vacations were centered around visiting relatives in Texas and California, and Dad loved driving on wide open roads and road trips. He planned elaborate family vacations that took us through many different parts of the western United States. Together we have seen some the great wonders of the natural world and some of the most distinctive places in the United States including New Orleans, Carlsbad Caverns, The Alamo, The Grand Canyon, Old Faithful, and the Golden Gate Bridge. Dad spoke fondly of how big this country was and how there was so much to learn about different places. As an architect by training, he loved drawing inspiration from nature and admired how different places were defined by structure and design. One of his favorite things to do was to have us look at different ways houses or buildings were built, or even the way different signs were styled to make us aware that design shaped how we understand and live in the modern world. Dad also derived great satisfaction from his work. He worked for the Southwestern Development Regional Authority immediately after earning his master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma and worked there for 31 years. His most impactful project was the implementation of a region-wide 911-system. Over the decades, he consulted with different municipalities and county boards maximize their land use and designed and planned industrial parks, recreational spaces, and assisted communities with grant writing for job creation throughout the western Oklahoma region. Though no one may remember his name, he left his mark and improved the lives of many over the years there. In 2007, our parents fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting mainland China by joining a study tour organized by the University of Oklahoma. Having grown up in Taiwan but never visited China, both of my parents were overwhelmed when they set foot on the great land of their forefathers. The exciting whirlwind itinerary included climbing the Great Wall, touring the Forbidden City, visiting the Beijing Urban Planning Museum, boating on the West Lake, and a night cruise the Huangpu River. In addition to visiting the ancient and traditional sites in China, they also witnessed the new and industrialized China. They rode the Maglev bullet train from downtown Shanghai to the new PuTong international Airport, toured a famous silk factory in Suzhou, a pearl farm in Wuxi, and a tea plantation and a tea pot manufacturer in Hanzhou, as well as a jade outlet in Shanghai. It is an adventure that they forever cherished. Also in 2007, Dad retired from SWODA and started a new position as the Assistant Director for the Center of Economic and Business Development at SWOSU. He was very excited for a new professional challenge and to eliminate his daily 45-minute commute. Sadly, Dad did not have much time to enjoy the “empty nest” years. He took an early retirement in 2010 to care for Mom as her health declined. Our mother suffered from a neurodegenerative disorder and was taken away from us far earlier than anyone had expected, and Dad was uprooted from his life so that she could receive care and be closer to us in Michigan and Illinois. After Mom’s passing in 2012, he stayed close to Kim, but as the years went on, his mental health declined and his body too. He never really recovered from losing Mom and losing the life they built together. In late 2019, he had a series of hospitalizations due to a fall and a broken hip. We believe that due to the isolation required by the pandemic, our father fell into a deep depression. He began to refuse food, and swiftly, his health deteriorated. Early in the morning on July 4, 2020, he passed away. It is our hope that Dad has finally found peace and reunited with our mother in the afterlife. We love you, Dad, and hope to carry forward your legacy with our own children and in our lives. Pursuant to Dad’s wishes, he will be cremated with private visitation. Dad always loved animals, and especially dogs. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to either the Animal Care League in Oak Park, Illinois, or to the SPCA of Wake County in Cary, North Carolina. Animal Care League Memorial Donation: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/AnimalCareLeague/tributedonation.html SPCA of Wake County Memorial Donation: https://spcawake.org/honor-memorial-gifts/