The family is deeply saddened to announce that Lilian passed away peacefully on January 16, 2021 in Toronto after a short illness. She will always be very lovingly remembered by her husband of 47 years Swee as an adventurous, generous, vivacious and elegant lady that was also loved by many of her dear friends.
She was the first-born and was always remembered from an early age for her independence and perseverance. She was educated at the Diocesan Girls’ School, in Hong Kong, where she exceled in athletics, a heritage from her mother, a champion athlete and classical dancer.
After graduation from high school, Lilian decided to major in economics at Whittier College in California, United States, thus following in the footsteps of her father who was a journalist specializing in trade economics. At that time, she had to remind her classmates often that she majored in Economics, not Home Economics, given the rarity of women in Economics at that time. She subsequently moved to Toronto, Canada, where she attended the Master of Business Administration Program at the then Faculty of Management, University of Toronto, now called the Rotman School of Management.
Lilian joined Touche Ross after graduation, and later worked at Deliotte and Touche in Halifax and Ottawa as an auditor. This auditing expertise bode well for her next position as an Auditor for the Office of Auditor General of Canada in Ottawa, where she chaired a women’s issue study called “Out of the Trenches” for the office. She led multiple projects auditing the many different branches and departments of the Canadian government. Lilian had a secondment to the Public Service Commission of Canada, where she was Director-General of the Audit Department.
Lilian was active in the Certified General Accountant Association of Ontario, was past chair of the Ottawa chapter, and also sat on the Board of Governors and was advisor to the Telfer School of Management University of Ottawa CPA Accounting and Governance Research Center for over twenty years. She is also an FCPA, FCGA.
Lilian met her husband, Swee Chua Goh, Professor and Professor Emeritus at the Telfer School of Management, University of Ottawa, while they were classmates at the University of Toronto and were married in Singapore upon their graduation. They had recently returned to Toronto to enjoy retirement life.
Lilian is survived by her husband, her two sisters Emily and Vicky, her brother Max; her sisters-in-law June, Siew See and Helen and brother-in-law Richard and Swee Han, and her nephews and nieces (Kevin, Jennifer, Kimberly, Richard, Geraldine, Edward and Andrea).
A private service will be held on Wednesday, January 27th, 2021 at the Mount Pleasant Funeral Center, 375 Mount Pleasant Road, followed by Interment at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Toronto.
In lieu of flowers you may make a donation to the Lilian Goh Memorial Fund, at the Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. The donation link can be found under the donations tab.