Thank you all for coming today to say goodbye to my father Melvin Chin. I know that this is hard to do during a busy weekday. Many friends and relatives of my parents' age have already passed on. And for some it is not easy to take time off of work or school mid-week. So I know that those who could not be here with us are sorry to have missed this chance. 
I am the youngest son and child in my family. I am here to speak for my mother, my brothers and sisters, the spouses, and the grandchildren. I wish that none of us have to be here today. If only we had a few more hours, day, weeks, or even months. That time would be so precious. I was not always a good son, but he was always a good father. I have to do this to honor him.
This is the short version. The story of my father's life. He was born in China. Then came to live and grow up in Seattle. He returned home to find a wife. My parents married and moved to New York. They crossed the country with three children and another on the way. A few years were spent in Bremerton. They finally settled in Seattle with five children. 
He worked long hours to support our family. Living across the water for six days and usually coming home on Tuesday. So we did not see him all that much growing up. One year on my birthday, he had dinner with us before leaving to go see the Sonics with his best friend from work. He deserved a night out. 
When he was home, he would beat us at basketball, ping pong, and pool. Some skills he picked up on the streets of Chinatown. Lucky for us we had no money to lose. He was a good cook. So we ate well. The greasy stuff that our mother would not make for us. He always loved a good meal.
Everybody liked my father. Then and now. He was just a good guy. And he was cool guy. When you see some of the pictures of the younger him, you might think that he was a model or actor. I was not even born back then, but if I was around, I think he would have let me tag along. I have told a few people, watch Eat a Bowl of Tea when you can. See Russell Wong play Ben Loy. Or really was that Melvin Chin!?!
And I think that my father was a lucky guy. He had our immediate family. But lots of other people looked forward to seeing him. He had customers who came to the store that my parents ran. He had SCAA and ABL families we saw every week at my nephew Kevin's basketball games. He had the Raptor families who made sure that Grandpa was at my nephew Marcus' baseball games. He had my niece Ruthie who made and served him his favorite desserts twice a month. 
It is hard to watch your parent or parents growing old. They walk and move real slow. When they cannot hear you clearly, it sounds like you are yelling at him/her. You have to have extra, extra, extra patience. I did not always have enough. I was their driver. I wish I could take them both somewhere else today. Even Costco or the casino. But I cannot do that anymore.
My dog died about three months ago. I am hoping that Emme will be there to walk with my father the rest of the way. I have climbed this hill to Mount Pleasant Cemetery once a month for the past twenty years to visit my brother. Now I will be coming to see both my father and brother for at least the next twenty years. 
Those people that you truly care about. You should ask them how they are doing. Every day if you can. Things can change so quickly. A week ago yesterday my father was still here with us. A week ago last Saturday he was enjoying Marcus' game. Three weeks ago today he was there to see Kevin a championship. And just the other week Rick and Ruth came by for dinner. 
Today we are going to get all of our crying over with. It is not that we will not still be sad and miss him. But tomorrow we are going to start talking about the best things we remember of our father. Many, many memories over eighty-eight years of living. We will celebrate his life.
If you have a free afternoon, come by and spend time with my mother. She can tell you great stories, a few I have not even heard yet. Look at all the old photos. Tell you about fifty-eight years of marriage. Everyone knows that I take lots of pictures. I inherited that from my parents. My sisters picked the best ones of our father for the slideshow. And Josh arranged them and added the music.

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AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Melvin Ming Chin

24 février 1927 – 7 mai 2015

Butterworth Funeral Home - Arthur A Wright Chapel & Queen Anne Columbarium

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AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Melvin Ming Chin

24 février 1927 – 7 mai 2015

Butterworth Funeral Home - Arthur A Wright Chapel & Queen Anne Columbarium

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