Maryanne Yee

Ah Wah and Jean Hon Lee. Her name was Ting Hong, and soon she would be called

Maryanne. This was the start of a lifelong commitment of community service, high quality

family planning, and service to the church. Maryanne first attended “old” Lincoln School where

she developed a love of reading. She always received excellent grades, and continued to do

so when she went on to Sacramento High School. A memorable highlight for her was her

membership in the “Pepperettes”, the purple and white special spirit squad. She graduated

one year early, and was a member of the class of 1949. Upon graduation, she found

employment at Pacific Bell as one of the first Chinese telephone operators. During this period,

she was introduced to her future husband, Frank, and he pursued her in earnest. A typical

date for them would first include stopping at Frank’s family-owned restaurant, Chopsticks

Cafe, on Franklin Boulevard. Rolling up their sleeves to help out was not unusual for both of

them. Early, in 1953, Frank proposed to Maryanne on Valentine’s Day. They were soon married

on Sunday, August 16th, where Maryanne took on the new title of Mrs. Frank Yee. The young

couple moved in to their newly built house on Jacks Lane, where many years down the road,

they would lament with chuckles and a smile saying, “It’s too bad we couldn’t afford the extra

$100.00 for a 2-car garage”. The newlyweds began their family with the birth of son, Steven

Grant in 1954. Second son, Kendall Wayne, soon followed in 1956. Watching their family grow

through God’s blessing, they decided to build a new house in South Land Park where they

moved to in 1958. Soon after, their daughter Stacy Lynne was born in 1961.

Maryanne now had a chance to foster her children’s education by performing many volunteer

hours at John Cabrillo School. She enjoyed her time as a “room mother” for all three children,

baking and passing out snacks during special holidays at school. Even prior to this, she was

called by the Lord to be a Sunday School teacher at Chinese Community Church. She often

used her artistry and imagination, like making her own Play-Doh, to spread the word of the

Gospel in her own special way to her young students. Instilling a love of music to her children,

Maryanne as well as Frank spent many hours working behind the scenes with the Sacramento

Youth Band, doing odd jobs as chaperoning travel performances as well as Music Camp

counselors and even short-order cooks.

After her children completed elementary school, Maryanne returned to the work force, working

as an interpreter for the Immigration and Naturalization Service, an adjunct position that she

relished and performed proudly, as it was unusual for an American born of Chinese descent to

achieve a high level of mastering the Chinese language. She also worked in the retail sector at

Weinstock’s department store where she was assigned to the sportswear department, because

of her high fashion sense and her people skills. Her final position was for the Department of

the Army working as a drafting technician and she retired from that position in 1985.

Throughout the years, Maryanne had a wide variety of hobbies and interests. She continued to

be an avid reader. She was well skilled in knitting, as well as crocheting, as she often shared

some of her creations with friends and family. Her bilingual musical skills aided the Cantonese

Women’s Choir, as Pastor Fung would record her to help the other members learn the songs.

She enjoyed daily exercise with Frank, and she was so proud to use her sewing skills to sew on

Frank’s 100-mile swimming patch from the YMCA. Daily exercise was followed by tilling the

soil in the backyard to always create a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables which were

enjoyed by all friends and family. In her later years, Maryanne was quick to join The Hula Gals,

a group started at church. At most performances, she would always be the first to reach out

and meet members of their audience, whether it be at Loaves and Fishes/Mustard Seed

School or the numerous care homes they visited. Her sharing, and caring attitude was

infectious to everyone.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Frank; sister Doris Leong and husband

James; sister Lily Chinn and husband Russell; brother Kwock Yang Lee; brother Kwock Shang

Lee; brother-in-law James Chew; sister Sylvia Yuke and brother-in-law C. Joe Yuke. She is

survived by brother Sooky Lee and wife Rose and sister Barbara Chew; son Steven and wife

Marcia of San Diego; son Kendall of Sacramento; daughter Stacy of Elk Grove; grandson Kevin

and wife RoseAnn of San Diego; and grandson David and wife Stephanie of San Diego, as well

as numerous nieces and nephews.