Antony Fung, a dear friend of the Center and many in the broader Bioethics at Trinity family, passed away this past March. A native of Hong Kong, Antony received his MD from China Medical University in Taichung, Taiwan in 1984. He served his Lord in the practice of obstetrics and gynecology in Taiwan for over twenty years. Always anxious to accept new challenges, he became specially trained in forensic medicine in 1996 and served as a volunteer coroner in Taiwan. Antony was deeply committed to “the patient as person” (Paul Ramsey) and he naturally became interested in helping those with postpartum depression. He pursued special training in the treatment of depression and integrated it into his practice. Yet still restless in his spirit and keen to serve the Lord in new areas, Antony with his wife, Grace, and their daughter, Vivian, moved to the U.S. in 2006 where Antony enrolled as a full time student in the MA bioethics program at Trinity International University. He completed the program at Trinity in 2008 graduating summa cum laude.
He had a great heart for God and for people. He encouraged those he came into contact with to honor the Lord Jesus by choosing to do what is right. While at Trinity he wrote extensively for Taiwan, including articles in Mandarin on the major themes of bioethics and a bioethics curriculum for adult Sunday school classes. He served on a church staff in the northern Chicago suburbs and for a brief time was an interim senior pastor. He loved to shepherd God’s people by preaching the Scriptures.
While at Trinity he had several bouts of pancreatitis caused by a premalignant condition. The recognition that his life may be limited prompted Antony to relocate to Toronto, Canada, to be near Grace’s family. There he worked with a church while he studied to reenter the practice of medicine. He had just passed his qualifying exam when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Despite his struggle against cancer, Antony continued in church ministry and wrote several more articles for the Asian community. As a physician he knew that the medical odds were against him, yet he chose to fight on for the sake of Grace and Vivian. Through all of this, he found great peace and satisfaction as he leaned on the Lord. His wife Grace wrote shortly before Antony’s death, “Now that he is facing the moments of his end of life which was one of his main research issues at Trinity, it’s time for him to demonstrate the Christian value in facing death. . . We hope he could finish well to glorify God as he wished. Amen.”
During their time in Illinois, my wife and I became dear friends with the Fungs. We enjoyed having them in our home and being in theirs. Their hospitality and generosity were exceptional. I appreciated Antony’s keen mind, but even more, I appreciated his love for Jesus. The home going of Antony Fung may diminish us, but the church triumphant is enriched.
Paige Comstock Cunningham, JD
Antony was courteous and generous as a student and as a bioethicist. In our last conversation, he offered to travel to speak to a group of Chinese physicians after his round of chemotherapy concluded. I am humbled by his depth of commitment and sacrifice.
Curtis Chang, MD
I deeply miss him. The articles he wrote continue to influence others even after his death.
John Kilner, PhD
Antony was a delightful man—ever encouraging others—medically trained as a physician, but eager to grow and serve Christ. That’s what brought him to Trinity—to study bioethics so that he could not only be involved in caring for people’s bodies but also help them deal with tough ethical decisions facing them, along with accompanying spiritual crises. He was eager to be an advocate for the vulnerable and voiceless in today's world. His vision and compassion were both global and local. He will be sorely missed.
