Dr. Gary Wang, a longtime resident of Wellelsey, passed peacefully after a brief illness on December 14. He was born on March 4, 1929, in Shenyang, China. A lifelong scholar, innovator, and devoted family man, he lived a life marked by intellectual curiosity, perseverance, and quiet joy.
Gary started a career in medicine but was forced to leave medical school after one year due to civil war. Undeterred, he redirected his talents to engineering. In 1952, he graduated magna cum laude from Cheng Kung University in Tainan, Taiwan. He went on to earn a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Purdue University in 1956, followed by a professional degree in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1963. In 1970, he was awarded a prestigious NASA Fellowship at the University of Texas at Austin, where he earned his Ph.D. in 1972.
His career included work at Honeywell, NASA, and the U.S. Department of Transportation. In 1974, he founded his own company, Transtech, and invented Sinoterm, a Chinese character computer system. He chose the name Transtech to reflect his goal: to transfer technological advances back to his homeland.
Dr. Wang loved playing tennis and was an active member of the Wellesley Tennis Association and the Natick Racquet Club. He also enjoyed singing, especially in later years, with friends from the local senior community. He lovingly chauffeured his grandchildren to their many activities and became a familiar presence at Captain Marden’s takeaway counter, where staff knew him by name and by his regular breakfast order. He frequently visited the Wellesley Public Library to read the newspaper and play Sudoku, savoring the simple pleasures of routine and reflection.
He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife of 70 years, Betty Lee Wang. He also leaves behind his daughter, Dr. Tina L. Wang, and son-in-law, Chris Simon, of Wellesley, and grandchildren, Steph, Samantha, and Justin Simon and extended family. The family would like to thank Eliana and Yohanny for their loving care. In accordance with his wishes, there will be no services. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Gary’s name may be made to the donor’s choice.
This obituary originally was published at the Henry J. Burke & Sons Funeral Home website.
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