Obituary of Mr. Yung-Chi Kuo
郭榮祺生平事略 簡介
郭長老/郭董/郭老師/郭爸出生於1931年8月6日、雲林縣斗六市。父親郭明月在地執醫多年，母親蔡擂，育有子女4男4女，榮祺排行第五。自幼薰陶於基督教家庭成長，遵行基督信仰信念以處事為人。成年後熱誠投入教會事工、不遺餘力，擔任教會長老職責、幫助教會。
1965年與李富美女士結連理成家，育有獨子郭崇信(Ben)，現為加拿大溫莎大學、臨床心理學教授任教，與媳陳香君(Sara)，育有2子，奕俐(Elijah)、奕忱（Isaiah），美滿幸福家庭。
斗六高中畢業後進台灣師範大學就讀歷史系，其間屢次利用暑期參予YMCA青少年露營指導員義工。因服役後，由YMCA聘任負責學生部及露營部事工，服務達10餘年。之後，轉換跑道，受聘於美國德州儀器公司台灣廠担任人事經理一職，前後10餘年而退休。
然而，於1989年間，原本計劃準備移民與兒子定居時，味全公司純青基金會黃總（昔日YMCA營友因師生之誼）力邀＂郭老師＂接下基金會要職；不久，應公司內部所需，調任人事處長職位。
1990年中華職棒聯盟成立之際，味全公司是當時中職創立者之一。因而公司上層決策者請郭榮祺擔任該公司職棒公司董事長職位 (1990~1992/1996~1999兩階段）。至此，退休結束一生公職工作生涯。
郭榮祺生性喜好運動，尤其善長排球、羽球、游泳等。2000年在加拿大定居後，有見於台灣人社區台僑需要提倡羽球運動，且台北經濟文化中心也為僑民特設現成的場地可用。凡事起頭難，郭董羽球隊隊友由剛開始的寥寥無幾；經日益推展，至今已24年了。這真是讓人欣慰的事！除此之外他的餘興是釣魚，有和兒子談不完的共同話題～釣魚經。在生活中，另一面也有離不開觀賞一埸又一場的棒球比賽。回憶那一年職棒世界大賽藍鳥隊(Blue Jays)獲得冠軍，他開始成為該隊忠實的球迷，也成了父子間分享的好話題。因年紀漸大回鄉不易，日夜觀閱台灣政經論壇是他思鄉情懐、自然表露無遺！
上帝賦予他具有驚人的記憶力 - 講述中外歷史，娓娓道來…．昔日和親朋互動之往事、人物、細節、時空，鉅細靡遺一成不漏。直到病重，仍思維清晰。外表雖嚴肅，但幽默有佳。喜愛年輕人，和他們互動交流也是他快樂的一環。生活中，他期許自己「堅守原則」，謹守「不留汚點於生命中」為人生目標。只要做對的，「絕不輕易妥協」，「公正不阿」，「做自己生命的主人」。
郭榮祺是位愛家的男仕，好爸爸，慈祥的阿公。永遠的＂郭爸＂、我們緬懷他！！！
Obituary-Personal History of Mr. YUNG-CHI KUO
Mr. Yung-Chi Kuo lived a long and highly rewarding, fulfilling, and blessed life of 93 years! He was a profoundly loved, adored, and respected gentleman by family, friends, students, employers, and colleagues! Yung-Chi was survived by his lifelong partner (and personal advisor!) Fu-Mei (Flora) Lee whom he married in 1965, his son Ben Chung-Hsing, daughter-in-law Sara Hsiang-chun Chen, two grandkids Elijah Yi-Li and Isaiah Yi-Chen – a close-knitted family that he loved dearly.
Yung-Chi was born in Douliu, Taiwan on August 6th, 1931. He grew up in a household of 8 siblings, in which he ranked 5th in the birth order, and was brought up in a household grounded in Christian (Presbyterian) faith. This faith had served to guide his life’s principles and later Yung-Chi served as a church elder for many years.
Yung-Chi studied history as a university student at the National Taiwan Normal University and subsequently worked in 3 organizations/companies over his career: YMCA (Taipei), Texas Instrument (Taiwan), and Wei-Chun Dragons Professional Baseball team. A significant highlight of his career achievement includes taking his Wei-Chuan Dragons Baseball team to 3 consecutive, back-to-back National Championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999, as the President of the franchise.
He was a man of great athleticism and had many interests, including volleyball, badminton, swimming, and fishing. After immigrating to Canada in 2000, Yung-Chi started a community badminton drop-in program at the Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in Scarborough. He and the program have brought an enormous amount of fun, joy, friendship, and memories for many who participated, their families, and for him as well. The badminton program continues even today, 24 years later since he started it.
Notably, people will remember Yung-Chi’s clever humor, steady confidence, infectious charisma, and exuberant affection for people, particularly young people!! He loved being with people, telling stories, and recounting memories from the past, either anecdotal recollections or historical events. He did it with such incredible detail and precision – an amazing memory he had, and a feat gifted by God right up to his passing!! He was quite a storyteller and when he spoke people’s ears perked up and listened!!
Yung-Chi lived by several of his mottos, including “faithfulness to one’s principles and convictions,” “no compromise,” “fairness and integrity,” “I’m the captain of my life” etc. Most importantly, Yung-Chi was a devoted family man, a committed husband, and a great father and friend to his son Ben! He took great comfort and pride in his family, with the family's closeness and witnessing the accomplishments of his grandkids and son! His example and spirit will live on in those who are influenced and touched by him, as he rests in heavenly peace!
