Dr. Albert Jer-Fu Lin passed away peacefully at home on August 22, 2023. Born on December 14, 1932 in Lo-tong, Yilan County, Taiwan, he grew up during the Japanese occupation and then World War II. Albert attended TamKang Junior High School in Taipei run by the Canadian Presbyterian Mission and was baptized into the Presbyterian Church in 1949. He then studied physics at Taiwan Normal University. After graduation and compulsory military service, Albert moved to Canada in 1960 to study nuclear physics at the University of Toronto. In 1968 he began teaching at Ryerson for 27 years with a one-year sabbatical in 1976 to conduct research on solar energy at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

Alongside many friends, Dr. Lin actively fought for restitution for the people of Taiwan for crimes committed against them by the Kuomintang after they retreated to Taiwan, imposed martial law and carried out a decades-long campaign of persecution, political imprisonments, violence and extrajudicial killings. In Canada he co-founded several Taiwanese Canadian organizations, with worldwide reach, was blacklisted by the KMT and unable to return to Taiwan until 1992. In 1995, he took early retirement, renounced his Canadian citizenship and was elected to the Taiwanese Legislative Yuan (parliament) representing overseas Taiwanese. He served one term, including as a member of the foreign affairs and defence committees and later continued to spend much of each year in Taiwan to carry on his political work.

The Lin family is ever grateful to all who helped Albert realize his wish to remain at home after he suffered several strokes in 2019, continue attending church and enjoying the company of his friends.

For his determined work, friendships, love of singing in the church choir and gardening he will be sorely missed.

Albert was predeceased by his parents, his elder brother and infant sister who died during World War II. He is survived by his beloved wife of nearly 57 years Sophia Kay, sons David (Linnaea) and Nicholas, grandchildren Emma and Ian, his younger brother and sister, nieces and nephews in Taiwan and cousins in Japan,

Funeral service: Saturday, September 2, 10:00 am Cummer Avenue United Church followed by celebration of life and reception. Donation to any cause which honours Albert’s life and ideals in lieu of flowers.

The proceedings can also be viewed online:

WebEx:
https://natwa.webex.com/meet/Toronto

YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqi-GgH3WbFe1RJp1x9HWMA/live