From Robert Young, Class of 1965

Thanks for all the updates.  In a way, many of us are saddened by his passing.  To some, he was like a father.  To many, he was a giant.  I am sure that most of us would share in this grief.

I was not one of his god-sons.  Never represented the school in any sport or music – not for lack of will, but lack of talent.  Just an ordinary school boy who was not outstanding in anything.  Not even noted for visits to his office (for caning) or even DC’s.  Just someone who should not have been noticed by the HM, much less remembered.

Yet somehow, he was good to me.  He admitted me into L6S even after I flunked School Cert Chinese – for which I would be forever grateful.  Grateful for giving me a second chance.  Grateful – because I owed him.

After graduation, I had not dared hope that he would still remember me.  He has been HM for a long time, and has seen thousands of DBS boys.  I was only one among thousands.  Yet I had another piece of good fortune.  One day, while I was Head of Shell Hong Kong, a letter passed my desk.  The signature was unmistakable.  It was Jimmy, writing to Shell praising the service of the Shell LPG dealer who serviced him.  I was overjoyed, and i wrote back, identifying myself as an old boy,  a ’65-er, and also included in the letter saying that the dealer, a Mr. Cheung Chun Hoi, was one of the best in the whole Shell network.  And suddenly I was re-connected with him, and I thus had the privilege of being invited to his annual birthday parties.

Some of us last saw him only a couple of weeks ago, at the wedding celebrations of David Sung’s son, Simon.  He looked fine, and was in great spirits.  So the news of his passing came as a big shock.  In a way, it is a reminder of the fragility of life itself.  In his life, he has touched, and may have even changed the life of many of us.  The fact that he passed away peacefully is in itself a blessing.

I know that I am speaking for many old boys when I say that he will always live in our hearts.

Robert