Mrs. Gwen Hon Kiu Lim

Born as Hon Kiu Chan in Tai Shan China on April 21, 1932 Mom was predeceased by her loving husband Kwan Fu Ben Sit and siblings: John, David, Chan Hon Ping, Chan Hon Goon and Chan Hon Mei (May) and survived by her youngest brother Joseph.

Mom is survived by her four children: Nelson (Chuk Sun) Lim, Lillian (Lai Yee) Loh, Samson (Sung Sun) Lim and Michael Benson (Nin Chee) Sit, daughter in-laws: Louie Lai Sin, Yvonne Lim and Carlene Jang, son-in-law: Sunny Loh, grandson-in-laws: Michael Trinh and Jason Hsu, grand-daughter-in-law: Denysa Loh and eight grandchildren: Jeanie Lim, Jennifer (Loh) Trinh, Natasha (Loh) Hsu, Matthew Loh, Kirsten Lim, Kevin Lim, Christopher Sit and Evan Sit and six great grandchildren Olivia Trinh, Aubrey Trinh, Quinton Hsu, Tyson Hsu, Jacob Loh and Lucas Loh.

Pall bearers will include: Sunny Loh (son-in-law), Matthew Loh (grandson), Michael Sit (son), Christopher Sit (grandson), Jason Hsu (grandson-in-law), Michael Trinh (grandson-in-law) and Craig Law (grandnephew).

Mom was the 6th of seven children in the Chan family. After surviving the war years she emigrated to Canada with her family in 1954. After separating from her first husband she settled in Vancouver BC where she met the love of her life Kwan Fu (Ben) Sit in 1962. Together they moved to Port Alice, BC on Vancouver Island where she worked in the local restaurant and Ben worked in the sawmill. Unfortunately Ben passed away in 1969 and her youngest son Michael was born posthumously after she and the other children returned to Vancouver.

For the next 40 years mom dedicated herself to providing for her children. She managed to purchase a Canadian Chinese restaurant the Kitsilano Café on West 4th Ave in the early 70’s and worked many long hours to support her kids. She later bought a second restaurant the Blue Sky also on 4th Avenue and co-owned the Granville Gardens on Granville street. Mom pioneered a vegetarian Chinese food restaurant in Chinatown long before such cuisine became trendy. She eventually turned the restaurant on Keefer by Gore into a Northern Chinese cuisine establishment called the New Peking Restaurant in the mid ‘80’s.

In the 90’s mum invested in rental income properties: on 12th Avenue in Vancouver and another in Surrey. Sons, sons-in-law and grandsons quickly discovered the challenges of property management for their mother/mother-in law/grandmother aka the “land lord”.

Mom loved to travel and made many trips with friends and family to destinations as nearby as Victoria and to exotic destinations like China, Taiwan, Macau, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, USA, and Europe.

In her retirement years mom settled into the house she built next door to Michael in East Vancouver, travelled a little less and focused on her gardening, growing many of the Chinese vegetables that ended up in the soup and dishes she cooked for herself and whenever her family from the US would come visit. In her declining years when cooking became challenging, “GMa” as the grandchildren nicknamed her would organize dinners and dim sum and make sure that the restaurant staff and restaurant owners lived up to her demands for service and food quality – she was never one to shy away from a feisty remark as the family’s restaurant critic.

Mom lived her final days still fiercely independent, living in her own house, where her daily routine included: driving to the community pool, swimming a couple of pool widths, then soaking in the spa while catching up on the conversation with her other senior lady friends. Often the daily pool routine would be followed by a visit to the bank to pay the utility bills and then shopping at T&T before driving home. After the evening meal she would continue to write English vocabulary in her notebook – carefully writing the word and including a Chinese translation. Her mind was sharp until the end and her spirit ever feisty. It is this strong willed, get things done and then have a good Chinese meal – mom/grandmother that we will miss the most. She was a maverick for her time and has left us all with a legacy that will live forever in our hearts and minds.

Lovingly,

Sam, Michael and Tasha

Literacy matters to me: Gwen’s story

When Gwen came to Canada from China in 1954, she was 22 years old. She was a young mother who needed to support her family.

Gwen worked long hours at a diner in Kitsilano. There was no time to take courses and learn how to read in English.

It wasn’t until the 1990’s, when she was in her sixties, Gwen was able to enroll in a literacy program. She took a free course at her local community centre. Then, she went on to take courses through Vancouver School Board Continuing Education.

Most of Gwen’s reading until now has been limited to children’s books her grandchildren give her. This year, her granddaughter Natasha gave her a copy of The Westcoast Reader.

“Your newspaper has given great value to me,” she says.

She finds most of the stories easy to read. Her favourite articles are those with news from the BC Government.

Now at 88, Gwen says reading The Westcoast Reader has helped build her confidence to discuss current events with her family.

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