Obituary of Ifay F. Chang

 Dr. Ifay F. Chang, beloved husband, father, grandfather, engineer, inventor, scholar, author, community member and lifelong student of history and ideas, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on May 26, 2026 at Regional Hospice in Danbury, CT, age 84.

Born in Chongqing, China in 1942 during the height of the Sino-Japanese War, Ifay’s life reflected the remarkable trajectory of the twentieth century — from wartime China and post-war Taiwan to the technological revolution of the United States. His Chinese name, 一飛(“Yi Fei”), was inspired by the ancient idiom 一飛沖天: “when it flies, it will soar to the sky.”

Throughout his life, he lived up to that aspiration through intellect, discipline, curiosity, and relentless perseverance. The son of Mrs. Betty Chang (Chou Chi Qi) and Dr. Paul Chang (Chun Liang), a scholar, public servant, and wartime provincial governor, Ifay grew up shaped by the values of duty, education, and service. He often reflected on the sacrifices made by his parents during war and political upheaval, adopting a lifelong belief that individuals have a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to society.

After excelling academically at National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, he immigrated to the United States in 1964 to attend the University of Rhode Island. There he earned both his Master’s degree and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, publishing seven research papers during his doctoral studies.

Dr. Chang spent the next 31 years at IBM’s Thomas J. Watson Research Center, where he pursued research and innovation during one of the most transformative technological periods in modern history. Over the course of his career, he authored numerous patents and developed visionary concepts in internet telecommunications, information systems — including early designs related to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), personal internet telephony, medical database search engine and touch screen liquid crystal displays.

He later described one of his proudest accomplishments as the concept that “every person can own his own phone company housed in his or her personal computer.” In the late 1980s, Ifay was selected to lead Singapore’s national IT 2000 initiative, helping to shape the country’s emerging information technology education strategy by helping establish the Institute of Systems Science (ISS). He viewed this period as one of the great adventures of his life, blending his dual passions in technology innovation and teaching into one educational vision.

Outside of his engineering career, Ifay was a prolific author. He wrote extensively on U.S.–China relations and geopolitics, publishing numerous books and essays exploring international affairs, technology, and history. He also delighted in creativity and play: inventing word games, crafting riddles and puzzles for his children and grandchildren, and engaging in spirited family debates about politics, philosophy, and the future of the world. He believed the mind should always remain active and that “a life with experiences is a meaningful life.”

Inspired by his parents, Ifay was deeply committed to education, civic engagement, and community life. He proudly served for many years as a Trustee of the Somers Central School District, where he brought thoughtful analysis, intellectual rigor, and a strong belief in the value of public education. He also taught at the Northern Westchester Chinese School, sharing Chinese language, culture, history, and philosophy with younger generations. Never one to stop building connections among people, he helped grow and expand a local mahjong community in Somers, bringing together new friends. His interests and activities were centered around a belief in lifelong learning, social connection, and keeping the mind active at every stage of life.

Above all, Ifay was devoted to his family. He created a childhood filled with education, travel, intellectual curiosity, and opportunity for his children. His family remembers him not only as a brilliant engineer and thinker, but also as a loving father and grandfather who invented new rules for every game (even on the tennis court), created and taught a word game called Scrammble, all the while keeping his children and grandchildren on their toes.

Ifay is survived by his loving family, including his wife Teresa Chang, children and spouses Jeffay (Elaine) Chang, Julie (Patrick) Normoyle (from Ifay’s first marriage), Jesseon Chang, Jerren (Tiffany) Chang, Jemmin (Peilei) Chang, and Jerray (Skylar) Chang, grandchildren Ryan, Tyler, Kyle, Connor, Kieran, Cole and Sydney, brother I-Kwang Chang and wife Ming and children Jonathan and Jonalynn, and sister Yi-Syin with husband Chun Chung Siu and son Robert.

Friends may call at Clark Associates Funeral Home, 4 Woods Bridge Rd, Katonah, NY on Friday, June 12th from 4:00–8:00pm.

The memorial service will be held at Bedford Community Church, 160 Bedford Center Rd, Bedford Hills, NY on Saturday, June 13 at 2:00pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages loved ones to honor Dr. Chang by donating to a Memorial Fund that will be distributed to the educational institutions he loved and supported.