Mrs. Chiu King Kong Yee

On the morning of October 12, my Mom, Chiu King Yee passed away peacefully at her home in Metairie. She was born in Kwangtung, China on June 12, 1925 to Kwang Chi & Soo Chaw Fong. She married, my father, Yook Sim Yee on July 29, 1948 and 11 years later, followed him to the United States. In 1960, my brother Alan was born on January 1. Later that same year, my sister Faye was born on December 31. I was born on September 28, 1962 and my father passed away two weeks later on October 12, 1962. Yes, Mom and Dad both passed on the same day, 60 years apart. My Mom became a widowed single parent who loved, provided and did the best and all she could for her children and grandchildren.

Mom loved working with her hands. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing uniforms for the waitresses at the restaurant and did many alterations, both large and small, for her friends and some businesses. I remember Mom altering the New Orleans Jazz’s team jackets for Cleanarama Cleaners, turning them from long to short sleeves. She made all her own clothes and her children’s. When she finally retired from restaurant work, to keep herself busy, she knitted scarves/wraps and gave them away to keep people warm.

Mom also worked many years at her brother’s restaurant, Canton Restaurant. Her days were very long, usually working 10 – 13 hours, 6-day workweek Monday to Saturday but not on Sunday. She would arrive early in the morning to prep all the needed items throughout the day and would sometimes cook the fried rice when it was really busy. Because my Mom loved to cook many will miss her doongs, steamed and baked cha-siu baos. Mom perfected the roast pork filling but she could never get the snow white exterior color for the steamed cha-siu baos. But I still ate them. Her infamous almond cookies from the family restaurant. The original cookie recipe was her nephew Tony’s. The cookie was turned over to me when I was old enough to put the ingredients into the mixing bowl. When I left the restaurant to work at an automotive machine shop, Mom then started making the almond cookies. And lastly her soy sauce chicken. I still have the master sauce in the freezer and I will cook her soy sauce chicken for a future church pot luck event.

Mom was a farmer at heart. She loved to grow fruits and vegetables in the front and back yards. Sugar cane, papayas, guava, figs, pomelos, oranges, grapes, bok choy, green onions, long Chinese green beans, ginormous long and fuzzy winter melons, forearm length bitter melons & lastly the herbal plants w/ leaves that was used to make medicinal soup, Blah! What I hated the most was the winter melons. They grew in all shapes and sizes and very heavy. They also had a white powder prickly outer skin that needed to be wiped off before you could carry them. Me and my brother jobs were to move them inside. We always got covered in the white powder and our hands, arms, chest & stomach would be stuck by the outer prickly skin. The vegetables were for our dinner table but Mom also would give them away to her friends and bring them to church for any member that wanted them.

Mom loved the Chinese Presbyterian Church and was a long time member. If you sat in front of her during church service, you could her singing, in Chinese, very loudly. With her restaurant and cooking background, she assisted and cooked at the church’s many food events and always cooked a large chaffing pan sized dish for the pot lucks usually a noodle dish. When she could no longer handle the actual cooking, she “recruited” me and I in-turn recruited my friends, Ming, Henry, Jr Lee, to cook. Early on mom told us what to do and how to cook it. At some point she trusted us enough to let us do our thing in the kitchen. But she would always ask “what are you going to cook for the church event.” She would give us advice or tell me that “this meat is on sale at the grocery store so you should cook this instead.” Mom was a very active leader in the church’s Women of the Church Group and its Women’s Circle 2 Group. On Sunday worship services, she took her turn to read the day’s scripture in Chinese.

Mom was preceded in death by her husband - Yook Sim Yee, her parents - Kwang Chi (Henry) & Soo Chaw Fong, brother and sister-in-law - Larry & Tew Heong Fong, In-laws - Eugene & Lucille Yee, Niece - Hong Jone Fong, Niece-in-law - Yu Pui Sheung (Christine) Fong.

She is survived by her 3 children and their spouses - Alan & Diana Yee, Faye (Susie) & Donald Yuan and Alfred Yee. Her grandchildren and their spouses - Spencer & Danielle Yee, Drs. Ryan & Vione Yuan, Jason Yee, Michelle & James Lee and her first great-grandchild - Calvin Yee. She is also survived by nephews - Hong Ah (Joe) & Nair Fong, Hong Au (Harry) & Wan Ying Mak (Leona) Fong, Hong May (Tony) Fong & Hong Kar (George) & Midy Yee Fong and many grand and great grand nieces and nephews.

Mom was only married for 14 years. But she lived a very long satisfying life; she was 97 years when she passed. She was “Ah Gua to her nephews, Gua Pah to her grandnieces & nephews, Ah Neen to Spencer and Jason, Ah Poo to Ryan and Michelle, and Ah Bac to Calvin. And lastly Ma, Ah Ma, Mom & Maaaa to Alan, Faye & me. We will miss you Mom…, but know you are with our Lord and your friends and family that passed before you. Our love for you will remain with us forever.

The family would like to thank the many doctors', nurses', therapists' and sitters' who have assisted my mom throughout her life.

I personally want to thank all that prayed for Mom & I and those who brought over food! I have not cooked since the last week of June… 19 weeks and counting. It is all in the freezer and I will slowly eat it all.

And I have a special Thank You to Francie Hom Lee, MaryAnn Seymore, Irene Toy and Susan Hom, Rose Lee. Who were there to help advice and support me. When I asked for it or more importantly when I did not know I needed it.

Lastly… If you still have your parents. Remember that they did and gave everything for us as we grew from baby’s to young adults. Now it is our turn to return that back to them. Talk to them, Listen to them, Hug them, and Kiss them. One day they will not be her anymore and you do not want to leave anything unresolved.