LEE, May
Posted: March 17th, 2021
MAY NGOR (YUEN) LEE
May Ngor (Yuen) Lee was born July 2, 1920 in Nanoose Bay, BC. She passed away peacefully after a short illness on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at St. Michael’s Health Centre, Lethbridge, Alberta. She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2020 in Lethbridge.
Mom often told us the story of her birth. She was born in a stable where her father Ben Wing Yuen worked as a blacksmith. Her aunt was getting married and was worried that if she heard a baby’s cry on her wedding day, it would mean bad luck to her. Her dad ended up delivering her as the doctor did not arrive on time. After this incident, her dad felt confident enough to deliver all the rest of her siblings.
She received some of her English education in Victoria, BC. When she was nine, her family moved to Taishan, China, where she learned to read and write Chinese.
She married Jimmy Hon Men Lee in Victoria in 1938 and resided in Lethbridge. It was a very successful arranged marriage. All of her married life was spent living in Lethbridge. In later years after Jimmy passed away, she would spend a lot of time visiting family in Vancouver.
May was predeceased by her husband and her son Victor, daughter Vivian, son-in-law Bob Cameron, and son-in-law John Chan. She is survived by daughters Virginia (Vic Mochizuki), Ivy, Ilona (Kim Cheong Lai), Jane (Phil Devonshire), and Judy, and son Byron (Nancy Hodge), daughter-in-law Wendy Lee, son-in-law Victor Tang, 17 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
May’s main hobbies were knitting, crocheting, and cross-stitching afghans and cushion covers. She made afghans for everyone in her immediate family and her own siblings, and some nieces and nephews. When she was in her 90’s, Judy and John asked what she wanted for Christmas. She said she wanted to learn to email, so they bought her an iPad. She learned to use an iPad to do emailing and FaceTiming. Granddaughters Emmy and Azia helped her learn. She also started to learn Mandarin online and also to navigate to other sites.
May had an incredible memory. She remembered everyone’s birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions, and phone numbers for most of the family.
When asked what her secret was to longevity, she said “Forget the bad. Remember the good.”
With fond memories, we will cherish and remember this good person.
A Funeral Service will be held at SALMON AND SONS FUNERAL HOME in Lethbridge on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 11:00 AM. A livestream will be available to view on the Salmon and Sons website.
To send a condolence, please visit www.salmonandsons.ca