Tan Eng Liang Obituary – His wife Kathryn, three of their children, and five of his grandchildren will carry on after him. Sunday, members of his family released a statement in which they said, “Our dearest father, Dr. Tan Eng Liang, passed away peacefully.” He had been undergoing treatment for an advanced form of cancer. We am overcome with sorrow because he was a kind father and grandfather who doted on his grandchildren and loved us without condition.
He not only imparted to us important life lessons but also served as a model for how these ideals should be lived. “He will be greatly missed by all of us. The all of Dad’s life was devoted to serving his community, particularly in the realm of athletics. He persisted in his contributions with fortitude and bravery even though he was suffering from a sickness. He served as a model for all of us to follow. A brilliant star has gone out, yet it will shine brightly in all of our hearts forever.
In the sport of water polo, Dr. Tan, along with his older brothers Eng Chai and Eng Bock, who both passed away in the year 2020, competed for Singapore at important competitions such as the South-east Asian Peninsular (Seap) Games and the Asian Games. The siblings learnt to swim in the open sea and Dr Tan’s love of sport was clear from a young age. To earn a spot on the national water polo team at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games, he had to put his studies aside, resulting in a failed attempt to enter medical school. He went on to win three medals – a bronze and two silvers – at the Asian Games and two Seap Games golds.
