Chungnui Li Chan's Obituary
母亲的生命故事 陳李松女夫人 (Chan-Li Chung Nui) 出生：10/24/1929 去世：09/15/14 八十四年的年龄创意，勇气，毅力陳李松女夫人 是在中国出生的。她的父母从来都没有读书和并在农场工作了一辈子。她唯一的姐姐也和她 父母在农场做工。我母亲小时候的目标都是要离开养殖企业应为她很不喜欢昆虫。她决心要离开 中国为了更好的生活。在那个时候，香港是唯一的选择。果不其然一个包办婚姻专家给他看了一 些单身汉的照片。我妈妈立即爱上我父亲,一个五英尺七英寸, 很帅的男生。那个时候我母亲只是 十六岁但是我婆婆要求她尽快结婚。在婚礼当天，两支蜡烛被点燃和对她父母一个鞠躬, 她就走 了。我母亲带她的小皮箱和火车票在手里去看她的丈夫 Chan, Chung Bun。在一九四七年,生命是很难过因为很多人都没有钱。我母亲在一个缝纫厂找到了工作。她一个星期 上七天的班。每天她的工作就是熨烫衣服上十个小时的班。我父亲没有教育, 所以他就在 香港置地公司做一个电梯操作员。他们都工作很长时间和很努力。我母亲十八岁就生了她第 一个孩子。从一九四八年到一九六四年，我妈妈生了九个孩子。 五个是女生,四个是男生。她借 了五十元来开始他的生意。在她的木制移动车，她每天很早就卖稀饭，油条和其他的早餐。在 她怀孕的时间她不能再工作. 但她永远都能找到东西去做。钱对我母亲是很重要的, 她會找其他的工作, 例如会缝假发，做塑花，縫娃娃衣服。一九七六年我们全部移民到美国的金山。像很多新移民，我们都在缝制工厂上班应为是唯一的选 项。经过漫长的一天，我母亲还会带很多衣服回家去缝。我母亲的一生中，她很努力帶來,不良好的健康 。她有一个溃疡所以她需要动手术去除去她的胃的一部分。虽然她有很多健康问 题，她永远都是很开朗的面对。一九七八年，我们开了一个餐馆叫 Man Sang BBQ 在唐人街的Powell街。我们第一个家族企业是 Eddy和Simon管的。他们两个去世。该业务是可持续的直到她加入她的特别食品。我母亲，特 级厨师，做了中国粽子。由于缺乏移民，和不利的位置我们的业务几年以后就关门了。 妈妈启发了我所有的生活。她很聪明，快速，适应性强。我小时候在一个私立学校读书。学校要 求我们穿校服但是很贵。那个时候我们没有钱所以妈妈每天就在外面看校服是怎么做的。没有人 看到的时候他就会把校服翻过来。第二天，我就有抛光和熨烫的校服穿了。我觉得她是地上最好的母亲。因为我是家里面年龄最小的，都是我带她去看医生。我也会帮她翻 译英文到中文然她了解她的医疗状况。在四十二岁我妈妈开发出了严重的心脏状况。医生叫她不 能上班了。很快以后她就有心脏发作。这需要血管成形术。两年以后她又有心脏发作了。当她年 龄，她还患有结肠癌，胆囊结石和出血性中风。终于在七十岁她被诊断出患有老年痴呆症。在这 个时候它就需要进入辅助生活。在跨度十四年来，我们看着她的记忆变差。在过去的两年中，她 失去了她所有的口头表达能力，养活自己的能力，无法识别和我们说话。最后，妈妈在我的记忆是没有任何东西让她轻易放弃。她总是确定的，勤奋的，创新的， 勇敢的和充满生机的面对。她认为态度决定行为，如果有意愿，有办法, 你绝对可以做到。 更重要的是，她还是明白教育的重要性，她的孩子，并试图非常努力，给他们适当的教育。 我还记得他跟我说的，“既然没有人从大学, 因为你是我最小的女, 我希望你可以从大学毕业 能否请你帮我这个忙，让我们的家庭感到自豪？ 当时我只有九岁，但我全心全意实现了她的梦想。妈妈，我真的希望我让你骄傲，我会永远怀念你！我很爱你，妈妈。她身后留下：孩子：五个女儿, Shirley, Wendy, Suzanna, Anlity, Angela—-两个儿子, Andy and Jackie孙子：Raymond, Sandy, Richie, Tim, Elaine, Edgar, Crystal, Anthony, Eric, Delores Joyce, Andrea, Jeffrey, Jeanette, Victor, Nathan, and Justin曾孙：Brittany, Kayla, Brandon, and WilliamMother’s Life Story Chungnui Li Chan Born 10/24/1929 Pass 9/15/2014 84 years of ageCreativity, Courage and PerseveranceLi, Chung Nui was born in China with parents who never attended school and had worked on the farm all their lives. Her only sibling was an older sister who worked on the farm alongside her parents. My mother’s goal as she grew up was to get out from the farming business, as she hated insects. She was determined to leave China for a better life other than the farm. At that time, Hong Kong was the only viable choice. Sure enough, an arranged marriage expert showed a few photos of eligible bachelors who were looking for brides. My mother immediately fell in love with a 5 foot 7 inches, good looking gentleman which was my father. My mother who was 16 years of age at that time, instructed by her mom to get married as soon as possible. The day of her wedding, she packed a small suitcase, two red candles burning and bowed to her parents; then off she went with a train ticket and an address in her hand to look for her husband named Chan, Chung Bun.Life was harsh during 1947, as the poverty level was very high. My mother looked for jobs in the sewing factory and was responsible for ironing clothing and had worked 10 hours a day and 7 days a week. Whereas, my father who had no education, landed a job as an elevator operator for a major England company, Hong Kong Land. They both worked long hours and tried very hard to earn a living. At age 18, my mother gave birth to her first child and thereafter, gave birth to 8 more children — a total of 9 children from 1948 to 1964, 5 girls and 4 sons. While she maintained a positive attitude in life and looked for way to make ends meet, she borrowed $50.00 from a loan shark to start her business which was a simple wooden mobile cart with a couple of boiling devices. She managed to sell porridge and friend donuts and other breakfast goodies during peak morning hours. She soon paid off the loan shark and ran her business with profitable gains. However, she was forced to give up that during her pregnancy. Since income was so important to her, she found ingenious ways to bring projects home, so she could earn more money such as sewing wigs, plastic flower assembly and sewing doll clothing.In 1976, we all were immigrated to the United States and given an opportunity for a better life, long with 3 sons and 4 daughters. We breathed into the fresh air of Golden Mountain, USA. Like all new immigrants, working in the sewing factory were the only options for the family, after a long day in the factory. My mom still takes clothing from the factory and continues in the basement, so she can earn more money for all of us. Working so hard all her life, she endured numerous medical issues. She had an ulcer, as well as undergoing a huge surgery to remove part of her stomach. She recovered and still maintained an “impossible is nothing” attitude through it all.In 1978, we opened Man Sang BBQ restaurant on Powell Street in Chinatown. Our first family business was operated by Eddy and Simon, her beloved sons who have passed away. Business was sustainable until she added her specialty product to boost revenue. My mom, aka “Super Chef” made Chinese tamales as an added delicacy known as “Zong”. Due to lack of immigrant and unfavorable location, our business closed after a few years.Mom inspired me all of my life by her clever thinking, lightning speed in learning new tasks and adapting to any given adversity. Her ability to watch and transpire concept into action just WOWed me to this day and forever. For example, I attended a prestige elementary private school in Hong Kong which requires Spring/Winter uniforms and the cost was unbearably high and my mother would visit the school and stand in front of the mannequin displayed in the office for hours, turning the uniform inside and out when nobody was looking. The next day, I would have my uniform sewn, ironed and polished by my mom.I think she is the best MOM I could ever ask for. Since I am the youngest of the family, I took the honor in taking her to the doctors all of her life and helped her translate English to Chinese so she can understand her medical condition. At age 42, Mom had developed a serious heart problem. The doctor ordered her to slow down and stop working. Soon after the doctor’s advice, she suffered a heart attack at age 43, which required angioplasty. Before she could recover, she had another one after two years. A second angioplasty was performed and finally a triple bypass was required to fix the problem. As she aged, she also suffered from colon cancer, gall bladder stone and a hemorrhagic stroke. Despite all of these medical conditions, she magically recovered from all these ailments. Finally at age 70, she was diagnosed with dementia and forced to move into assisted living for her own safety. Over a span of fourteen years, we watched as her memory deteriorated. In the past two years, she had lost all of her verbal skills, the ability to feed herself and was unable to recognize and talk to us.In closing, the best memory of my mother is that “Nothing can get in her way” as she was always determined, hardworking, creative, courageous and full of life. Attitude dictates behaviors, if there is a will – there is a way! More importantly, despite not attending any school, she understood the importance of education for her children, and tried extremely hard in her ability to allow her children to have a proper education. I remember distinctively what she said to me, “Since no one graduated from college…you are the last one in the family – can you please do me that favor and make our family proud. I was only 9 years old but I took that whole heartedly!Mom, I really hope I made you proud and I will miss you forever!!! I love you so so much Mom!She left behind:Children: 5 daughter: Shirley, Wendy, Suzanna, Anlity, Angela — 2 sons: Andy and JackieGrandchildren: Raymond, Sandy, Richie, Tim, Elaine, Edgar, Crystal, Anthony, Eric, Delores Joyce, Andrea Jeffrey, Jeanette, Victor, Nathan and JustinGreat Grandchildren: Brittany, Kayla, Brandon and William
What’s your fondest memory of Chungnui?
What’s a lesson you learned from Chungnui?
Share a story where Chungnui's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Chungnui you’ll never forget.
How did Chungnui make you smile?