According to Mama, he must have died peacefully in his sleep because he was still covered in his blanket and there was no sign of struggle. Soon after 7 am,  all the family members were informed except for Victor who was having exams in Scotland.

Bapa’s mental faculties took a nosedive one month before his death. He started not to relate to his surroundings and to be bedridden. His physical condition started deteriorating fast as well until he could not take very much nourishment. The end was expected and funeral preparations were made after a family meeting in April. Another family meeting was called on 3rd June a day before he died. It was said that he was hanging on to see all his children before he died. Leijus was the last to see him on 26th May. Victor was not able to see him.

By 8.30 pm on that fateful day, everyone of his children except Victor, had arrived from various parts of Sabah. Most of his grandchildren had also arrived.

Many other relatives, friends and Ministers came to pay their last respects and the funeral on 5th was perhaps the grandest and most memorable there has ever occurred in Tambunan. Wreaths, condolence cards and messages were sent in to the family generally and in particular to Datuk Pairin and Datuk Dr. Jeffrey.

The coffin imported from Italy was made of beautiful solid timber with appropriate carvings or decorations.

The people coming to pay their last respects kept pouring in and at 12 noon, the coffin was carried by all his male children to the special bus arranged for by Fook Lu Siew Coffin Supplier (S) Sdn Bhd to take the coffin and the family to the Holy Cross Church, Toboh for a memorial service. The church was filled to capacity and the ceremony led by Father Joseph Liansim was a wonderful one. Dr. Jeffrey read the passage from the Bible. Datuk Pairin said the eulogy on Bapa at the end of the service.

Among those present at the service were three Government Ministers, Datuk Joseph Kurup (Resource Development), Datuk Tham Yip Shim (Industrial Development) and Datuk Mahani (Communications and Works).

Everything went amazingly smoothly and the preparations must have paid off, thanks to relatives and friends and our own members who worked tirelessly to ensure everything went well.