Mr. Kun Li

Kun Li, loving husband of Yifeng, caring father of Annie and father-in-law of John passed on Thursday, June 8, 2023 at Scarborough Grace Hospital. Both Kun Li and Yifeng were recently reunited with their daughter after 10 years of being apart. Yifeng and Annie were his primary care-givers while he was dealing with deteriorating health issues and were present during his final moments. He was loved and will be missed dearly. Kun Li will always be in our thoughts and in our hearts.

Visitation for Kun will be held Friday, June 16, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Kane-Jerrett Funeral Homes, 6191 Yonge Street, (South of Steeles Ave.) Toronto, ON. A funeral service will be held in the chapel at 4:00 PM. Cremation to follow.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.kanejerrettnorthyork.ca for the LI family.

Eulogy

I would like to start off by saying thank you to everyone who could make it to honor Annie’s dad and my father-in-law. We are going to miss him dearly.

Li Kun was a kind caring person who loved his daughter and wife greatly.

Obviously, I had a difficult time conversing with him as I don’t speak Cantonese and he didn’t speak English. I tried talking to him by using a translation app on my phone but he said (translated by Annie) “It’s like a duck trying to talk to a chicken”. But sometimes you don’t need to talk to someone to know their true character. His actions and how he raised his daughter showed me that he was a great man. I never heard him raise his voice to anyone and he always seemed happy and content with life. He welcomed me into his family with open arms even though I was not Chinese and from what I can tell, he liked me. When I visited China after Annie and I were married, he didn’t complain that I was picky with my food and he went out of his way to go out and by BBQ pork buns and hot sauce which he knew I liked. I’m going to miss telling him “jo san” when he woke up and him responding “gooood morning”.

Li Kun was personable and always made friends wherever he went. Annie told me a story about the first time when her parents came to visit her in Canada. He met a fellow Cantonese speaker in the apartment building where Annie was living. He started to talk to her and ended up being invited into her home. Mrs. Young became a good friend not only to him but also to Annie, her mom and me as well. From what I seen, people really liked Li Kun and he liked people as well. Another time when he visited us at our townhome, he befriended a group of Chinese people who would go for walks at the track across the street. I used to call them the possie. It would have been nice if he was in better health when he came to live in Canada last October. With his personality, he would have made many friends in our new neighborhood, and they would have found a great friend in him as well.

Li Kun was also a great husband as well. He was the person who would cook for the family and would do the dishes afterwards. He never complained and would joke around as well - even when his health was deteriorating. Often, he needed to be moved by a PSW so that they can change the bed pads and sheets. They would turn him on one side then turn him on the other… he would joke about it and make them laugh.

Annie tried for many years to have her parents emigrate from China. Last year she was finally successful and they were granted permanent residence. We were both excited that they were coming to stay with us. She was reunited with her parents in October of last year, and even though her time with her father was short, at least she had the chance to be with him for his last months.

For Annie, not only did she lose her dad, but she also lost her role model and someone who she loved with all her heart. She always brings up memories from her childhood being with her dad. When she was sick, her dad would pick her up in his arms and rush her to the hospital (where he worked) to make sure she was looked after. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do to make his daughter better. That love was apparent, and I see it in Annie as well. She cared for her dad so much and hugged him everyday. She arranged all the medical and personal support for her dad all the while going though fertility treatments and the loss of our child. She also dealt with her own life life-threatening medical issues, but she still coordinated her fathers care.

Annie called the paramedics the first time when Li Kun fell and called them for the last time on June 8 when he was struggling to breath and was at the end of his life. He passed with his loving daughter and wife by his side in the hospital.

Li Kun will be missed but will never be forgotten. We love you.