Dr. Kwai Sing Chang spoke with authority when he taught Bible, world religions and philosophy to 30 years of Agnes Scott College students.

His spiritual quest took him from Buddhism, the religion of his Chinese ancestors, to Christianity. His studies took him from his native Hawaii to Princeton Theological Seminary, to Cambridge University in England and to the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for his doctorate. His career took him from pulpits in Hawaii to classrooms at Agnes Scott in 1956.

Agnes Scott College (ENLARGE)

Dr. Kwai Chang chats with Agnes Scott students Wardie Abernethy Martin and Melba Ann Cronenberg Bassett at a 1958 Christmas party. His career took him from pulpits to classrooms.

• Haiku by Kwai Sing Chang

"He was an exciting teacher for students," said Dr. Julia Gary of Stone Mountain, retired dean of the college. "With his background, when he taught world religion especially, he could speak with authority."

The memorial service for Dr. Chang, 86, who died of congestive heart failure at his Decatur residence on Saturday, will be 4 p.m. April 27 at Central Congregational Church. Wages & Sons Funeral Home, Stone Mountain, is in charge of arrangements.

Basketball was a factor in his journey from Buddhist to Christian. He played basketball at a Christian church near his house, said his daughter Forsythia Ronin of Avondale Estates.

Conversations with Christians there and with his mentors at the YMCA expanded his thinking on religion, said his wife, Miyoko Chang. After being a church pastor for a while, Dr. Chang decided he would rather teach than preach.

His was a unique presence on campus and added one more Chang to the three listed in the Atlanta telephone book, according to a 1994 alumnae magazine article.

"Even though we had been living American all our lives, people thought we were in the laundry business or were shoemakers," said Mrs. Chang, whose heritage is Japanese. "When he said he was Dr. Chang, they thought he was a medical doctor. We were so unaware that we were different."

Dr. Chang handled it all with characteristic good humor and patience. "It was really a very pleasant experience all around," she said.

His quiet confidence was admired on campus, Dr. Gary said. "He did not just blabber in useless conversation. He thought before he spoke," she said.

Off campus, he retreated to his book-lined study and listened to opera.

Dr. Chang was a precise man, which explains his fascination with electric carving knives and haiku. He put himself in charge of slicing for the soirees his daughter catered and recently started writing haiku.

"He specifically liked to cut things with his electric knife, and it came out perfectly," Mrs. Ronin said. Dr. Chang went through many Black & Decker electric knives and used no fewer than two on every job. "One would get hot, so he had to have two," she explained.

He began studying the Japanese art of haiku a few years ago, his wife said, then began writing his own three-line, 17-syllable poems.

"He thought they were fun," Mrs. Chang said. "He had a very deep and sensitive appreciation of words and found a preciseness in haiku."

Dr. Chang was precise in the blessings he delivered at monthly ROMEO — Retired Old Men Eating Out — breakfasts. All his blessings were under 14 words, his daughter said, because he did not want the eggs to get cold.

Survivors include another daughter, Jasmine Chang of Decatur.