Anita was born in Victoria on May 24, 1931 to Susan and Tong Yen. She was the youngest of 3 girls, her two older sisters being Marion and Pat. The family operated a very busy green grocer and flower store on Fort Street in the block between Douglas and Blanshard Streets.
The family lived in a house on Empress Avenue and during her school age years Anita attended George Jay, Central and Victoria High. Friends were always very important to Anita and she made many lifelong ones during those important 12 years.
She loved sports in her youth taking part in basketball, bowling, tennis and yoga in the 1970’s and she remained active into her nineties. Anita always seemed to be in a hurry and never moved slowly. Sometimes it was hard to keep up with her pace.
Never one to shirk hard work, she began with her first job in the library of the Parliament buildings. There were her years working for her sister and brother–in-law, Marion and Harvey Lim, at their farm on Blenkinsop and at the two Big Barn Markets on West Saanich Road and McKenzie Avenue. She also worked as a hostess at the Chinese Village restaurant and as a salesclerk at Gibson’s Ladies Wear and Woodwards.
Anita married Jim Chow and they raised two girls, Janis and Glenys. Always busy, Anita juggled motherhood and work like an expert.
Strong and determined, Anita went on to become a dedicated mother and raised her daughters as a single parent in the 1970s.
After 25 years of being single, she decided to marry again and spent 20 very happy years with Thomas Der who predeceased her in 2020. Over the years Anita was always so proud of the achievements of both her daughters and in later life loved to sing the praises of her cherished grand daughter, Zoe.
Determination and stamina were two of Anita’s greatest qualities and they were with her right to the end.
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