With God in her beautiful heart, Mum passed away peacefully on the morning of Friday, August 6th, 2021. She valiantly fought a nearly 3-year long battle with advanced ovarian cancer. Beloved and devoted wife of our late father Cameron K.L. Lee, they were married for nearly 47 years. She was a loving mother to Mary (Carlos) and Anne (Guyle), and a proud grandmother to Marcus, Chloe, and Samuel. Family meant the world to Mum – she was steadfastly committed to her parents, Hin Tat Hui and Wan Sung Law, sister to Henry, Louis and Charles (Audrey), as well as adored extended family members including Hsiao Lei, Anthony & Andrew; Allan (Samantha), Matthew & Nicholas; Lucille & Linus. She equally loved her in-laws, including Irene, Lily (Terrence), Mike (Duang); Sheila (Frank), Fred (Kitty), Megan, Felix (Karen), Ayden, Austen & Fiona (Jay); Julia (Phillip), Karen & Gerald; and Derek (Janet). In addition, Mum was deeply grateful for the constant love and support from Edison (Julie), Michelle (Garrett) & Neiman (Lisa).
Mum was born in Lashio, Myanmar (formerly known as Burma), although some spoken accounts suggest her birthplace may have been Guilin, China, during World War II under unstable and intense political circumstances. She would occasionally tell us the story shared with her by our Grandmother that Mum was gravely ill during infancy, but a serendipitous encounter with a doctor helped to save her life. She embraced this second chance by dedicating her life to serving others. As the eldest of four children, and growing up amidst meager conditions, she was expected to help her mother with an at-home laundry service – this is where she developed her expertise in ironing – her precision and methodology was impressive to observe. She was designated to fetch clean water for the family from a long distance while carrying her younger brother, so the return trip proved to be more arduous. To improve their chances to be lifted from poverty, my Grandparents worked tirelessly so that their children could attend a nearby Catholic school. Hence, Mum’s enduring faith was established as a young girl, where she was educated by Catholic missionaries stationed in Myanmar. A family matchmaker introduced Dad to Mum in 1961 and they were married the following year. To escape the political instability in Myanmar, our parents made their way to the safety of Taiwan, eventually immigrating to Canada in 1972. Through much sacrifice and their strong work ethic, they came to build a comfortable life that afforded a brighter future in Vancouver. Starting out as a secretary to eventually earning a place at ICS Petroleum as a bunker trader in the marine fueling industry overseeing the Asia-Pacific region, Mum’s career in maritime transportation spanned over 43 years (with over 30 of these years spent in bunker trading). Mum was a remarkable woman ahead of her time, when there were few women in the bunkering arena, she stood tall (even with her diminutive stature of 4’11”) with the best of the best in the industry; she was admired and respected for her boundless energy, tenacity and workaholic tendencies, often brokering deals late into the evening and early morning when markets opened in Asia. It is at Maritime Agencies and ICS Petroleum that she formed life-long friendships that were treasured to the very end. Mum was respected by colleagues, the church community, friends, and family. Whenever there was a problem, she offered a solution and never asked why – her intelligence, compassion, and generosity was beyond compare.
At home, we absolutely revered and adored her – there was always an expectation to uphold culture and traditions. Mum was the matriarch and the core of our family, which was often expressed in the form of cooking and inviting extended family over for meals or preparing food packages for pickup – she even insisted on delivering herself to ensure that these gestures of love were received. Although we didn’t appreciate it at the time, our family life was always full of friends, food, and lively conversations, and we sometimes felt like our home was hotel or restaurant where there was a revolving door of visitors. She was always happy to set an extra place at the dinner table. Mum was persistent, vocal and frequently took “no” for “yes”, so it was just easier to accept graciously because we understood her giving was an expression of love.
As Dad’s illness advanced in 2009, we will never forget Mum’s devotion and tender care for him through his final days. For years, she exhibited courage and strength as Dad’s health failed, and became an integral part of his care team.
Mum retired from her career at the age of 70. She joined a traveling cohort of friends whose sole mandate was to explore the world through cruises, so two to three times annually Mum would embark on grand adventures that offered her opportunities to experience all parts of the globe. St. Francis Xavier Church was a very special place for Mum, she loved her fellow parishioners, Pastors, Sisters, and especially volunteering with the Ladies Club, many of whom became the most amazing friends, notably Belinda and Margaret. During her retirement years, Mum spent time teaching English to newcomers at church who were wanting to fine-tune their language skills.
Although Mum’s cancer journey was fraught with many challenges, her positive spirit and persistence prevailed. Without hesitation, she tried multiple rounds and different chemotherapies, radiation, and even surgery, bravely enduring the difficult side-effects each time.
We are passionately grateful for the outpouring of friendship, kindness, and support lavished upon Mum. You know who you are and you’ve provided an incredible source of strength for her and she genuinely felt loved. We would also like to affectionately recognize and thank the ladies from her qigong exercise group – Mum continued her practice at home during the COVID lockdown, but the members regularly checked-in on her to offer encouragement. Our family expresses our deepest and most genuine gratitude to BC Cancer oncologists Dr. Alannah Smrke (most notably your superb clinical skills, unparalleled compassion, kindness, and honesty) and Dr. Paul Hoskins (for your humour and empathy), the Palliative Unit at Burnaby General Hospital, St. Michael’s Hospice, and of course, St. Francis Xavier Church community.
Our family is forever transformed with this profound loss, however, Mum’s influence will leave a lasting legacy from which we endeavour to be better individuals who have been inspired to lead a life of kindness, sharing, compassion, and spiritual faith.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 am on Thursday, August 19th, 2021 at St. Francis Xavier Church, 438 Great Northern Way, Vancouver, BC, followed by burial at Gardens of Gethsemani 15694 32th Avenue, Surrey, BC. Viewing & Prayer Vigil will precede the Funeral Mass at 10:00 am.
In lieu of flowers, kindly consider an in memoriam donation to:
St. Francis Xavier Church (by mail):
438 Great Northern Way
Vancouver, BC V5T 4S5
Burnaby Hospital Foundation: www.bhfoundation.ca
BC Cancer Foundation: donate.bccancerfoundation.com/site/Donation2?df_id=8204&mfc_pref=T&8204.donation=form1
St. Michael’s Hospice: stmichaels.bc.ca/donations
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Helen Fung Chu Lee 1945 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Vancouver, Province: Colombie britanique