PROLIFIC short story writer Goh Sin Tub, 77, died yesterday
morning at Mount Alvernia Hospital.
SUDDEN STROKE: Mr Goh (above) was printing out invitations for his
50th wedding anniversary celebrations the day before he
collapsed.
The former civil servant banker was also known for his
contributions to his old school, St Joseph's Institution
(SJI).
'We have lost a storyteller who told the Singapore story from the
common man's perspective,' said Mr Alex Chacko, Mr Goh's
publisher.
The writer's death came about a month before he was to celebrate
his 50th wedding anniversary, on Dec 27, with retired doctor Sylvia
Goh.
'In fact, he designed the invitation cards himself,' said Mrs Goh
of her husband, who was busy with his 22nd book. 'He was printing
out all 100 of them on Friday morning.'
The next morning, however, he was felled by a stroke. After a brain
operation, he went into a coma from which he never awoke.
Mr Goh's youngest son, Dr Patrick Goh, 44, said his father had been
diagnosed with myeloid dysplastic syndrome - a condition where
blood cells in the bone marrow are not normal - in September and
had a growing blood clot in his brain.
Earlier this year, his 65-story Walk Like A Dragon was on
bestseller's lists.
In it, he writes about how he had a hole drilled into his skull to
drain another blood clot last year.
He worked in the education and social affairs ministries, reaching
the post of deputy secretary to the health ministry before he
joined the banking sector. As a property management director, he
handled projects such as the construction of OCBC Centre, the Tangs
shopping complex and UOB Plaza.
But in 1986, after retiring as general manager of UOB Property, 'he
wanted to do only three things - help build St Joseph's
Institution, see its transition into an independent school and to
write', said Mrs Goh.
Writer Suchen Christine Lim called Mr Goh 'a great storehouse of
stories about our colonial past and the Japanese Occupation,
stories which he retold with compassion and understanding'.
Said Mr Chacko: 'I guess he was aware that he didn't have much
time, so he worked as hard as he possibly could.'
Second son, publisher John Goh, 45, focused on another side of the
man: 'He would probably want to be known most for his work with
SJI.
'He came from a Hokkien working-class family and was always very
grateful for the education he got in and from the school.'
The couple have another son, Austin, 48, who works in the IT
sector.
Mr Goh was the first chairman of the SJI Board of Governors,
holding the post for 25 years. When the school went independent and
moved from Bras Basah to Malcolm Road, he raised more than $45,000
for SJI through sales of his book, Battle Of The Bands.
For his contributions to education, he received a Public Service
Star.
Last night, his family were in mourning at his bungalow.
The wake will be held there - 1, Padang Chancery Road - until
Friday. Mass will be said at the Holy Spirit church at 3.30pm
before the cortege leaves for the Mandai Crematorium.