Benson Lee

Benson Lee, beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, passed away peacefully on February 9, 2023 at the age of 102. Mr. Lee was born on June 14, 1920 in Guangdong Province, Toishan City, Fifty Market Place, Dragon Village, to Shu Ming Lee and Choi Fung Wong. The elder of two brothers, he lost his father when he was six years old. As a young child, he took on the role of head of household to care for his mother and younger brother, Sam Lee.

He attended grade school in Guangzhou, living with his maternal grandparents at the time. After high school, having gained the fluency of speaking Cantonese, he returned to Toishan to teach. During the war in 1938, he passed the examination to gain acceptance in the Nationalist government training program to become an administrator. He was sent to Shaoguan city in northern Guangdong to be trained for leadership positions in government.

Benson and Sau Hang married in January 1941; he was 21 and she was 19 years old. Only one month after marriage, he returned to Shaoguan to continue his work for the war efforts. His maternal grandparents passed away due to hardship and famine during the war. After the war ended, he became the principal of a Toishan local school, overseeing 8 teachers and 250 students from 1947 to 1948 and earning very little at the time. To escape from Communism, he relocated to Hong Kong in 1949 to join his brother Sam and earn a better living for the family. Sam had been in poor health, near death, and alone in Hong Kong at the time; Benson came in time to nurse him back to health.

Sau Hang joined the brothers in Hong Kong briefly, before Benson emigrated to America in 1952. He arrived as a paper son, assuming the identity as the son of his maternal grandfather. He settled in Houston, Texas, first working in a grocery store as a butcher and then taking an apprenticeship to be a cook in Lee’s Den Chinese Restaurant. His wife and daughter Annie joined him in Houston in 1966. After many years of hard work and endurance, he joined the successful restaurant as a partner. Upon gaining U.S. citizenship, he sponsored his brother Sam and family to join him in America in 1975, fulfilling a brotherly devotion. He retired in 1985 and started to travel with friends and family. He returned to Dragon Village several times from 1986-1989 to renovate his ancestral house and even built an adjacent memorial building to express filial affection for his deceased mother, whom he admired and respected greatly.

After retirement, Benson and Sau Hang enjoyed fishing, cooking, gardening, meeting friends at a shopping mall to walk and talk, watching the Houston Rockets game on TV, and most of all, ballroom dancing. For many years he was in charge of roasting the Thanksgiving turkey. Gong Gong’s famous juicy turkey became a family tradition. He celebrated his 100th birthday in 2020 in an outdoor celebration amidst a once-in-a-century pandemic.

Benson will be fondly remembered for his loyalty, caring, and selfless devotion to his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 81 years, Sau Hang; brother, Sam Lee; daughter Annie Chan (Rocky Chan); granddaughter Dr. Johanna Chan Huang (Dr. Steven Huang); grandson Jonathan Chan; great grandchildren, Ellen Huang, Eva Huang and Edward Huang; nephews and niece, John Lee, Peter Lee, Cindy Chui and Norman Lee; and grand nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank friends and relatives for their compassion and support, the Green team of Harris Health House call program, and A&A home care service and Anna Lam for the great care they provided. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the charity of your choice.

A visitation for Benson will be held Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM at Forest Park Westheimer Funeral Home, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077. A funeral service will occur Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077. A committal service will occur Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, 12800 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77077.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestparkwestheimer.com for the Lee family.