Rickey C Tse

Rickey Chuen Tse was born Man Chuen Tse on October 25th, 1931, in Hai Ping, Guangdong, China. He was the younger of two children born to father Chee Jim Dea and mother See Ho Oy. His family owned a small farm. After his father departed alone for the United States around the time Rickey was three years old, his mother sold some of the land in order to finance Rickey’s education.

While he attended elementary and middle school, village life in 1945 at age 14 required him to bring home the water his family would need for their domestic use everyday after school let out. It was also at this time he began working for a pharmacist, which he did until 1947.

Growing up, he proved to be a promising student. In China, at that time, education was not guaranteed, but with Rickey’s aptitude and scholarship, testing got him admitted to one of the prestigious high schools in Hai Ping, Nam Ping. After graduating from high school, he began teaching elementary education at Nam Ping in 1947 while living with his mother and older sister, King Sik Jew. He was only 16.

Rickey had two passions. The first was teaching. The second was basketball, which at that time was one of the two national sports in China, the other being ping-pong. Representing his school, he played in an organized league competing against other schools and proved formidable, winning many trophies for his school.

It was at this time he married Voy Chun Woo, in 1949, in Hai Ping. Shortly thereafter, in 1950, he moved his family to Hong Kong. While running a bookstore that also sold stationery and office supplies to support his rapidly growing family, Rickey attended the United College of Hong Kong, earning a bachelor’s degree in economics on July 31st, 1957. The United College of Hong Kong would later be integrated into the present-day Chinese University of Hong Kong in 1963.

After graduating from college, Rickey eventually returned to one of his passions, teaching general education at Sun Tak Primary School located in the Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Estate in Hong Kong in 1962.

In 1963, he moved his family to the United States. Rickey arrived with his wife, five children and $10 in his pocket. The long flight from China included a stopover in Alaska, and an unexpected delay arriving in Seattle. His father, Chee Jim Dea, was supposed to meet the family upon arrival, but the delay ran too long and Jim Dea had to return to his restaurant, The Moonlight Café, to attend to business. One can only imagine the panic and confusion of being in a new country, fatigued and hungry from a long flight, with a wife and five tired, hangry children, knowing very little English, and not a penny of American money to even make a phone call. Providence would soon smile on Rickey.

On the same flight from China that day were relatives of the Chow family, also moving to the United States for the first time. There to meet the relatives was Ping Chow, husband of Ruby Chow. (Yes, the same Ruby Chow who, with her husband, owned Ruby Chow’s Restaurant, and would eventually become the first Asian-American elected to serve on the King County Council.) Rickey overheard Ping Chow speaking Cantonese, and approached him, asking if he knew Jim Dea and where the Moonlight Café was located. Ping replied that, yes, he knew Jim Dea and even though he was there to pick up the relatives’ family, he could take Rickey and his family to the Moonlight Café. With other arrangements made for the Chow’s relatives, Ping transported Rickey and his family to the Moonlight Café in Pike Place Market. Rickey moved his family into the living quarters in the back of his father’s gift store, The Lun Hing Company in Chinatown, and immediately went to work for his father at the Moonlight Café. It was at this time he would first meet his six-year-old younger brother Greg Dea.

In 1964, to gain more experience, Rickey went alone to Detroit, MI to work in a relative’s restaurant.

In 1965, he rejoined his family and began working as a prep cook at Trader Vic’s, located in what is now the Westin Hotel in downtown Seattle, eventually being promoted to line cook.

In 1969, with three other cooks from Trader Vic’s as partners, they opened Yen Wor Village Restaurant on California Avenue in West Seattle.

In 1979, he left Yen Wor, and with his friend Danny Chinn, partnered to open the Golden Peacock Restaurant on Petrovitsky Road in Renton, WA. Their success allowed them to open a second restaurant together in Issaquah, WA, the Golden Pheasant, in the 1980s. He eventually sold the Golden Pheasant but continued to run the Golden Peacock until his retirement.

In business, Rickey had one goal: customer satisfaction. Through mutual respect among his business partners, he displayed impeccable leadership, treating customers and his employees with dignity and respect, which is the foundation of any successful business model. He mentored his employees and led by example, treating others how he would want to be treated. He believed happy employees meant happy customers.

The essence of Rickey’s personality was his love and generosity. His love for the schools in his home village where he was educated, and his strong conviction for the importance of the education that provided him the opportunity to have a better life, led to a lifelong support, financially, to those same institutions, all without his wife’s knowledge. All while raising six children.

Rickey always maintained a desire to care for his family and friends, both here in the United States and in China. He provided all his children with a higher education, giving them the opportunity to become successful in their own lives. Once he and his wife attained citizenship, they began to sponsor family and friends still living in China to move to the United States, providing them the means with which they could attain a better life. His compassion and generous philanthropy affected the lives of over 100 people now living here, all of whom enjoy a good life, many of whom are here to honor Rickey today.

Rickey’s love for his community was reflected by his involvement with the Chew Lun Benevolent Association. As an active member, Chew Lun flourished, not only under his leadership, but also with his wife’s involvement in Chew Lun’s women’s association.

During the last eighteen months of his life, Rickey lived at Regency Assisted Living Facility in Newcastle, WA. On his first visit to tour the facility, he met a certain resident there named Chung Woo, referred to as Mr. Woo. They exchanged a few words, and for Mr. Woo, there was a sudden familiarity. Eventually Rickey learned Mr. Woo grew up in the same village in Nanjing as Rickey’s late wife, Voy Chun Woo, and had attended school there with several of her siblings. They became like brothers, eating meals together, taking walks together, and generally looking after one another.

Mr. Woo became a part of Rickey’s extended family, occasionally joining him when Rickey would be taken out for dim sum or to dinner. If Rickey went out, he always made sure to bring something back for his friend to enjoy. As Rickey’s health declined, Mr. Woo looked after him attentively, always guiding his wheelchair down to their dining room table for every meal, assisting him in any way needed. Even taking time to visit him in the hospital during Rickey’s last few days. It is with deep respect and gratitude we honor Mr. Woo for the love and compassion he showed Rickey.

Rickey was the kindest person one could ever meet. Unassuming, so very considerate and calm, always putting others’ needs and wants above his own.

He never looked for praises. He was never one to boast. He just went on quietly working for the ones he loved the most. His dreams were seldom spoken. His wants were very few. And most of the time his worries went unspoken.

In his later years, he enjoyed, and kept busy with, the simple things in life: his daily news, his daily sports fixes, the stock market, his stocks, his daily short walks, and Vanna White. At 7 o’clock every evening, six days a week, Rickey could most assuredly be found in front of the television watching his favorite TV show, Wheel of Fortune. He would cheer the winner’s good fortune. He would sympathize with the hard luck losers.

Rickey endeared himself to everyone around him. He came to this country to climb the Gold Mountain and he reached the summit. He will be dearly missed.

He was preceded by his loving wife of 62 years, Voy Chun Tse, and his older sister, King Sik Jew. He is survived by his children Frank (Evelyn), Betty (Tom) Lock, Robert (Vi), Bessie, Donald, Richard (Angela); grandchildren Kristine (Jeffrey) Jonas, Aaron (Sarrina) Lock, Jennifer (Nelson) Khov, David Lock, Michael Tse, Caelene Tse, Brenden Tse; and great grandchildren Kobe and Kara Khov, Alexis and Sienna Jonas, Joshua, Kaylee and Isabella Lock. He is also survived by his younger brother Greg (Kathryn) Dea and many dear nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.

His funeral service was held at Butterworth Funeral Home on Wednesday December 28, 2022 at 11:30am. Donations may be made to Northwest Kidney Centers and Foundation.