Lai Jin Ng

Lai Jin Ng was born on September 18, 1930 in Taishan, China. In 1947, she married Sui Sun Ng and had 5 children. They lived in China, Hong Kong, and Okinawa, before settling in Hawaii. Lai Jin passed away peacefully in her home in Honolulu, Hawaii on September 24, 2021 at the age of 91.

She is survived by her 5 children, Linda (Robert) Tucker, Wanda, Philip, Julie (Jared) Matsumura, and Mercy; 6 grandchildren Bobby (Melissa) Tucker, Andrew (Katherine) Tucker, Kristine Tucker, Nicole Ng, Justin Matsumura, and Brandon Matsumura; 5 great-grandchildren, Alexander Tucker, Kylie Tucker, Theia Tucker, Kayla Tucker, and Quinn Tucker. She also leaves cherished memories to her many nieces, nephews, and cousins as well as countless friends around the world. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ka Yin (Ngan Dang) Loui, brother Fah Soong (Choi Lin) Loui, and husband Sui Sun Ng.

Generous and cheerful, Lai Jin was known for her caring personality and amazing chef skills. She always greeted people by asking, “Did you eat yet?” and always having the desire to cook and feed everyone. As a former restaurant owner in Okinawa, she brought over her cooking skills with her to Hawaii where she constantly made sure no one in her family went hungry. Her famous dishes she made included black vinegar pigs feet, black bean spare ribs, pan fried noodles, choy sum, and Chinese herbal chicken soup. She was generous with love, support, encouragement, and joy for everyone she knew and was always willing to babysit her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Lai Jin made sure to teach her children and grandchildren the different Chinese traditions and how to celebrate all the Chinese holidays the traditional way and celebrated by preparing a feast for her and her family to enjoy at the end of the day. She would bring her family to the temple on the weekends before going to Chinatown to “yum cha.”

Not only an amazing chef, but Lai Jin was an avid traveler, where she enjoyed visiting parts of the United States, Hong Kong, China, and other countries in Asia. She especially loved to travel back to her village in China every year to Bai San for her ancestors. As an amazing cook, she would prepare a feast for her family members who traveled with her and her relatives who lived in the village. While not cooking or traveling, she was also a casual gardener where she kept her yard in Hawaii bountiful with beautiful different plants. She was always in the front yard sitting on a little stool planting or propagating her plant with her green thumb.

During her later years, she enjoyed making friends while attending Adult Day Care in Aiea, Hawaii. Here she loved playing Bingo and making arts and crafts.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.BorthwickOahu.com for the Ng family.