William Chih-Wen Chang

William Chih-Wen Chang was born September 1, 1941 in Chongqing, China. He came to the United States from the Muzha District in Tapei, Taiwan in 1968 to attend the University of Missouri-Rolla. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering in 1970 after marrying Margaret Keng-Que Li in 1969. They welcomed Alice in 1970 and Steven in 1973. William passed on February 1, 2024.

As a licensed Professional Engineer, he led many water treatment and environmental projects. His proudest was providing clean water to the community of St. Joseph, Missouri. He would eventually move his family to Kansas City, Missouri to expand his career and explore entrepreneurial opportunities.

In 1996, the Chang Family grew with the addition of Tom Ray as a son-in-law. In 1999 and 2003, he became the grandfather of Corbin and Tyler, respectively.

He enjoyed art, photography, and videography. He loved to watch movies that starred John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, and Sean Connery. He was an early adopter of new technology, specifically the laserdisc and beta max video players. He also appreciated the classics, such as his Casio digital LCD watch that he wore every day.

His principles to live a happy life were: (1) free your heart from hate; (2) release your mind from worry; (3) live simply; (4) give more; and (5) expect less.

A tentative celebration of William’s life will be held in Kansas City, Missouri later in 2024. In place of flowers, please consider contributing to the William C. Chang Memorial Fund benefiting students at Missouri University of Science & Technology. Donations can be made at https://giving.mst.edu or sent to Missouri S&T, Office of Advancement Services, 1100 North Pine Street, Rolla, Missouri 65409.