On February 8, 2020, Lee Teng-hui choked while drinking milk at his home and was rushed to Taipei Veterans General Hospital. He was 97 years old. What began as observation for possible lung infection escalated into a diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia and intubation. For nearly six months, Lee remained hospitalized while Taiwan -- and the world -- dealt with the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. On July 29, President Tsai Ing-wen, Vice President Lai Ching-te, and Premier Su Tseng-chang visited Lee at the hospital. The following evening, after a pastor offered a final prayer at his bedside, Lee died of multiple organ failure and septic shock at 7:24 p.m., surrounded by his family.

President Tsai ordered the national flag flown at half-mast for three days beginning at noon on July 31. A public memorial was established at the Taipei Guest House, where more than 43,000 people paid their respects over sixteen days. The visitors included Yoshiro Mori, former prime minister of Japan, who led a cross-party delegation to convey condolences from then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and to express gratitude for Lee's contributions to Japan-Taiwan relations. On August 12, Alex Azar, the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, visited the memorial -- the highest-level American official to set foot on Taiwan since 1979. Even controversy attended the mourning: on August 14, a woman threw a balloon filled with red paint at Lee's memorial portrait.

Lee was a devout Presbyterian, and his family entrusted funeral arrangements to the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan rather than following traditional practices with incense and memorial altars. At 6:36 a.m. on August 14, his casket was moved from the hospital to a private service. A bell rang 21 times -- an adaptation of the 21-gun salute -- and pastors Iap Khe-siong and Ng Chhun-seng presided. The congregation sang Taiwanese Hokkien versions of Lee's favorite hymns: "Amazing Grace" and "Rock of Ages." About 100 people attended, including 60 family members. Lee's widow, Tseng Wen-hui, was absent out of concern for her health. President Tsai bestowed Lee with a certificate of commendation, crediting him as "Mr. Democracy" for his role in founding Taiwan's democratic institutions during his 12-year presidency. Vice President Lai and the heads of five government branches then draped the national flag over his casket.

The public memorial service on September 19 drew roughly a thousand guests to Aletheia University's chapel, with overflow venues at nearby Tamkang Senior High School. Among the foreign dignitaries were Keith J. Krach, the U.S. Under Secretary of State, and Yoshiro Mori, returning from Japan. In a pre-recorded video, the 14th Dalai Lama shared personal memories and praised Lee's commitment to democracy and preservation of Chinese culture. On October 7, Lee's ashes were interred at the Special Honour Zone of the Wu Chih-shan Military Cemetery. In his sermon at the burial, Pastor Ng encouraged the Taiwanese people to carry forward Lee's "Jade Mountain spirit" -- a reference to Yushan, Taiwan's highest peak, and to the stubbornness required to build a democracy in the shadow of an authoritarian neighbor. The 32-member funeral committee appointed by President Tsai included leaders from across the political spectrum, from the pan-Blue to the pan-Green camps -- a final bipartisan gesture for a man who had made partisanship possible.