Dr. Kou-Roung Chang passed away on January 16th, 2014. He is survived by his wife, Shou-Mei, his two sons, Brian and Patrick, and daughter-in-law, Lin. He is also survived by his two sisters, Jean and Shu-Chin, and his two brothers, Kou-Shoung and Kou-Bin, in Taiwan.
Born in Chang-Hua, Taiwan, K.R. immigrated to the United States in 1970 to pursue his graduate studies in civil engineering. After receiving his Ph.D., he moved to Gainesville in January, 1979, and started his civil engineering career at Ch2M HILL. He worked there for 35 years and was known as a highly successful, motivated and respected man throughout the company.
One of his passions was traveling, and he had the opportunity to travel the world with his family every year. K.R. enjoyed the outdoors, playing tennis, basketball, jogging, cycling and gardening. He was known as an avid tennis player, and influenced the lives of many junior tennis players in Gainesville, especially his two sons. He loved watching Gator football and basketball games with friends and family. He was a very devoted husband and father and touched the lives of many.
If you would like to attend Dr. Chang’s Funeral Service, here is the information.
The Visitation hours: Monday Jan 20th, 5:00-7:00 pm.
Visitation location: Forest Meadows Funeral Home, 725 NW 23rd Avenue Gainesville, FL 32609
The service will be held on Tuesday Jan 21st, 1:00pm.
Service location: “Chapel in the Meadows” Forest Meadows Mausoleum, at Forest Meadows Memorial Park, Central, 4100 NW 39th Avenue Gainesville, FL 32606
In our local Taiwanese community, K.R. is well known for his enthusiasm on Tennis, Cycling, Jogging, Gardening and his love for seafood. He is a devoted father and husband and a die-hard Gator football fan. He knows every Gator football player by heart and humorously critique game move during football party, bringing us many laughers and joys.
What I treasured the most about K.R. is his kindness and his generosity. When I first brought my Taiwanese clam dish to his house, his genuine praise on the dish immediately put me at ease especially someone like me who cannot cook. Even though he loves seafood, he graciously shared his hard-earn fish with us. He is also very caring. He cared about his adopted home and generously donated to U.S. Presidential Election. He also cared about his birth home country, Taiwan. He actively participates in the Taiwanese Student Association and Formosa Public Affair and is well familiar with the current affairs in Taiwan.
We will always remember his passions, his humor and wisdom on the world and life. Our football party will never be the same without him.
-Carol Chou
I knew Dr. Chang through playing tennis in Gainesville, as he coached me and my brother throughout our middle and high school years. The 5 years that I spent training multiple times during the week at the Changs’ home were some of the most fun, enjoyable, and happiest times of my adolescence. I have the confidence and pride to call myself a true tennis player because of him and also became so much of who I am today because of the lessons he taught me during those days training in his backyard. He believed that I was a capable, athletic, and smart person, and I didn’t know it at the time, but I realize how much confidence he instilled in me during our time together. He took my training seriously but always took time to joke with me and laugh at life. He supported me by coming to my tennis matches and taught me how to deal with the disappointments in life by acknowledging it and improving myself to become better, a mentality that has been engrained in me forever. His enthusiasm and energy was infectious. I feel like I owe so much of the good inside me to him, and my only regret is that I wish had the opportunity to tell him just how much he meant to me.
Dr. Chang was like a father to me. I feel very lucky to have crossed paths with him in life. His constant encouragement for me to succeed on and off the tennis court has stayed with me forever. I’ll miss him very much.
Tammy