Jacqueline Shirley "Eleanor" Lum

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of our beloved mother Eleanor. She passed away peacefully with family by her side in the early morning of Friday, Nov 18, 2022 at Peach Arch Hospital, White Rock BC. She was 94 yrs. old. She was born on Jan 20, 1928 in New Westminster, and raised in Vancouver’s Chinatown by her adoptive parents Nellie & Charlie Yip Quong. She attended schools in the Strathcona area enjoying all sports and as a young girl excelled at softball and grass hockey. She studied at Pitman College her first job being with the Canadian Navy as a stenographer during the war years.

She married her childhood sweetheart, Francis Lum, a son of a Steveston BC pioneering farming family (Lum Chong), who predeceased her in 2002. They lived a wonderful life together for 57 yrs. raising a family, travelling, playing all night mah jong with friends and building a successful farm market business. She and Dad were avid fans of football (BC Lions) and hockey (Vancouver Canucks) and spent many hours together cheering on their teams.

Her favourite times were when family gathered around a dining table filled with Dad’s homemade cooking. She was a pretty good cook too, known for her fabulous cabbage rolls, always in big demand at any family dinner.

Mom was a strong, intelligent woman who lived her life with purpose, service and duty to her family and friends. A gifted artist she found contentment in painting flowers and landscapes in her later years. For many years she studied the Buddhist teachings of the Dalai Lama. She gracefully rose up to every challenge life sent her way with stoic devotion and always with her special sense of humour.

Eleanor is survived by her children Jadene (Ron), Daryle (Michele), Starlet and Celeste; grandchildren Anthony (Kathy), Lani (Doug), Antoine (Tanya) and Alexis (Ashleigh); great-grandchildren Jacob, Anna, Connor, Gemma, Tommy, Koa, Makai: brother & sister in-laws Cheryl (Chip), Victor (Bette) and Bea (Vincent) Lum.

A private memorial service will be held on Tues, Nov 29th 4-6pm at Ocean View Chapel, Burnaby presided by the Rev. Justin Cheng, Vicar of All Saints Anglican Parish, Burnaby. In lieu of flowers a donation can be made in her name to the Capt Paul Watson Foundation to “defend and protect life in the oceans.” Website: paulwatsonfoundation.org

Mom wished to have her obituary end with this stanza from the song Sentimental Journey:

“Gonna take a sentimental journey

Gonna set my heart at ease

Gonna take a sentimental journey

To renew old memories

I gotta take this sentimental journey

Sentimental journey home”