Luk Tien Fen - Gone but Not Forgotten

On the first anniversary of her death I am writing a short piece about my friend Luk Tien
Fen.


My young friend and colleague from the Methodist Secondary School passed away on June 7th 2011. It was shocking to many of us to have a friend who leave us at such a young age.

She was a very dedicated teacher, always punctual, always polite and soft spoken. I have never seen her getting angry. She was very properly brought up by her parents, Mr and Mrs. Luk Tai Moh. The Luks have always been a very upright Methodist family.

Educated in England, she came back to teach in our school and she was indeed like a spring breeze coming into the staff room. We enjoyed a lot of adventures together, taking students out for sports, picnics and even day trips to the ulu. She was always calm and full of good advice.

She was a wonderful looking bride on her wedding day. The whole staff of the school wished her well and were happy to attend the wedding banquet.

In 1985 she left the school and transferred to the Methodist College after she married Chiu Ching Siang, a relative of my Goo Poh, Tiong Yuk Ging.

We met up a few times but  less in subsequent years  as in 1987 I left Sibu to live in Miri, and so the chances of meeting up was even less. I did manage to get news about her from mutual friends.



One day I was visiting my mum in Sibu. We were staying at the Airport Road. She suddenly appeared at the gate. (She did not have my phone number) Because she did not have many days in Sibu, she could only stay for a few minutes.

We had a good but short chat, we asked how we were getting on in our lives. She was doing fine and her  son was growing up well. She too was busy in KL. And she was in the college for more than 20 years!! And I was in Miri also for that length of time. Our paths never crossed. That is our life of career women.

We parted and promised to see each other again, God Willing.

Not long after that I received a call telling me that she had gone to be with the Lord.

She had kept her suffering to herself and made Christ her main comforter.

One year has gone by. May you rest in peace in the bosom of Abraham. You have fought the good fight.