To him, we say, "Well done"

Louis Liang (1944-2020)

Point to Ponder: To know that one life has breathed easier because you lived here. This is to have succeeded. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Story Line:

It was October 1983, I was a new employee at Fairchild Semiconductor and my friend, Steve Kan, was taking me around to introduce to various people. The last stop was a corner office, the person who sat there was head of Assembly/Test operations. As Steve and I entered the office, the gentleman got up and welcomed me to the company. As we sat and talked, he sat straight up in his chair, made good eye contact and patiently asked me questions about my background. After few minutes it became apparent that he was very detailed, knowledgeable, data driven and pragmatic. I left his office thinking that I would need a lot of patience and efforts to deal with him.

Little did I know at that time, despite our mostly contrasting ways of operating (Me, a Dreamer and him, a pragmatic, well-grounded person), it would be the beginning of a lifelong friendship.

Louis Liang was born in Shanghai China. In his early teen years, a small window of opportunity opened to leave and he took the train to join his father in British Hong Kong. Then, his family moved to United States of America, he studied science and started a career in Silicon Valley.

After I left Fairchild, we kept in contact. I enjoyed his perspective on different issues, appreciated his depth of knowledge and advice on many subjects beyond technology and work. He became my defecto mentor and helped throughout life in personal, career, legal and financial matters.

Though very firm and seemingly tough at work, he was very kind, compassionate, helpful person and an extremely loyal friend. He encouraged and supported every business and creative ventures of myself and my children. Like a true friend, he stood by me in difficult times. There are so many stories and memories; he once owned a Chinese restaurant and was a very good cook; treated executives, US senators (in his last job), line workers and Starbucks employees with the same courtesy and respect.

After my retirement we started meeting more often; Tuesday morning coffees at Starbucks. He was very close to his mother and often talked about how much he missed her. Whenever he found out that my mother was at our home, he would stop by to chat with her for hours.

Reflection:

In the last week of December 2015, during our coffee chat, Louis informed me that he was going to have surgery for cancer. After that day, he courageously forged his own path with not one, but two stage four cancers. Louis continued his own positive style, kept firm determination, continued our weekly coffee meetings on various subjects and visited my mother. After last November we did Facetime or visited him. He appreciated his life, loved his family and was never afraid of Death.

Last time we could talk was about three weeks ago. My wife and I visited him and he woke up and chatted with us for 20 minutes.  The very last thing that happened before he fell asleep was he pointed at many patents and awards plaques that were hanging in the room and said “all that Useless. Useless.”

Then pointed at the photograph that was underneath; a photo of his daughter, wife and him, and said “That’s all that matters.”  

My friend and Mentor Louis left this world last Thursday.

“And now somewhere, there stands the man
His duty o'er and won
The world will never forget him
To him, we say, ‘Well done’”  - From Old soldiers never die, They just fade away by Gene Autry

Amaryllises - Gifts from our friends and mentor Louis Liang and Jessie Liang
Determination, Beauty, Love