1911 – 2017
Obituary for Chow Quen Lee (Chow)
Chow Quen Lee, 周 坤 英
(October 18, 1911 – October 11, 2017)
Passed away peacefully at the Glebe Centre, Ottawa. Beloved wife of the late Foo (George) Lee, 李 廣 富(1968). Loving mother of Voy See (Gum Chang) of Mississauga, Wah Yett (Lam Yet Kwei) of Ottawa, Yew (Carolyn McGill) of Chelsea, QC, Yen (Gaith Garzouzi) of Alymer, QC, the late Chang (1980), Sudbury. Aunt to Seck Hong Chow (Ying Chow) and the late Wah Lone.
Sadly missed by her grandchildren Anne Kemp (Steve), Debbie (Rick Oullette) Candace Chang (Sean), Charmain (Martin), Kynan, Kevin, Jesse, Connor; God grandson, Wai Fai Lee (Pui Wai) and her great-grandchildren, Melissa, Jason, Alyssa, Brennan, Allison, Christopher and Samantha; and by her grand-nephew Yan Sen Li. (Shong Hoi).
Chow Quen Lee, also known named Nooey Quen (女權 – women’s rights), lived an extraordinary life. Her birth on October 18, 1911 in Toisan, China, a time that coincided with the founding of modern day China. She survived civil strife, the Japan-China War, and famines. She raised her first 2 children while being separated from her husband for 14 years due to war and Canada’s Immigration Policies which banned nearly all Chinese people from immigrating to Canada between 1923 – 1947.
After the repeal of this legislation, she and her three children reunited with her husband in 1950 and settled in Sudbury, Ontario. Here family members owned a number of restaurants, the Capitol Café, the Star Restaurant, the China House Restaurant, the Empress Tavern and Lee’s Place.
In 2001, Chow Quen Lee and her son Yew Lee, were representatives in a class action that led to a federal government apology (June, 2006) and symbolic redress for Canada’s discriminatory policies against Chinese Canadian. She recounts her years of hardship and separation from her husband in the award winning NFB documentary “In the Shadow of Gold Mountain”.
The family acknowledges to the kind personal caregivers (Amy Wu, Yu Kun, Rosalind Chen) and the dedicated and compassionate staff on the 6h floor of the Glebe Centre.
A private service will be held.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: The Glebe Centre: Chinese Unit, 77 Monk Street, Ottawa K1S 5A7.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Chow Quen Lee (Chow) – 1911 – 2017.source

Death notice for the town of: Ottawa, Province: Ontario

death notice Chow Quen Lee (Chow) – 1911 – 2017- mortuary notice Chow Quen Lee (Chow) – 1911 – 2017