OI-Lan Lau's Obituary
Oi-Lan Lau (劉 愛 蘭) was born on March 20, 1920 in Nanhai District, Guangdong Province (廣 東 南 海). After finishing grade school, she successfully managed her aging father’s farming business – an early day Wonder Woman (女强人). She married Yue-Fun Wong (黄祐勳) on October 15, 1941. As she fondly recalled, she picked out father, and we are grateful for her decision to marry a totally dependable, intelligent, and loving man.Right after the wedding, my father left mother behind in the village and returned to Chongqing (重 慶) to continue his commodity business – a common practice during the Sino-Japanese War. My mother managed the extended household including my grandparents and me as an infant. From 1946 to 1949, father invested in a match factory and a fabric plant in Guangzhou (廣 州). During this time, Sau-Fong and Eunice were born. In 1949, my father went to Macau (as the civil war was looming) to start a business in the import-export trade of truck tires. Mother single handidly took three children to join father in the last hours before the closing of the border. After moving to Macau, Teng-Fong and Elsa were born.When the Korean War ended suddenly and the tire market collapsed, we all moved to Hong Kong where my father joined Kwon Wing Hong (光榮行) as a manager in 1956. This was the most difficult time. My parents had to support a household of eleven, including my three grandparents, with my father’s meager monthly salary. Mother sold her jewelry and started a profitable business raising newborn chickens.We children all left Hong Kong by 1972; and my parents became very early empty nesters. They helped care for our cousins that were sent to Macau from Africa, as well as other cousins and relatives. They traveled extensively to Europe and Asia, as well as frequent visits to the grandchildren in the United States. Upon father’s retirement in 1995, my parents moved to settle down in Mountain View, California. They enjoyed their independent living, made frequent shopping trips in San Francisco’s Chinatown and attended Cantonese Operas.While my father was a modest soul, always content and would only correct our mistakes in quiet, mother was straight, stern, and would not hesitate to discipline us –the “enforcer”. We all have our favorite memories. All her life, she always managed a principled household in her ways and with her values. She was very popular with all our friends, classmates and cousins who invariably asked for her opinion and advice in all sorts of topics, including the issues of their future spouses (and how to deal with future in-laws). She was everybody’s favorite Aunt (眾 人 伯 母).My mother’s affection and generosity for others are two traits deeply appreciated by her family, friends and relatives. We will all miss her, and may she rest in peace!Oi-Lan Lau (劉 愛 蘭) is survived by her children Frank (黃 騰 芳) of NJ, Eunice (黃 桂 芳) of CA, Teng-Fong (黃 庭 芳) of NY and Elsa (黃 怡 芳) of CA; nine grandchildren, Adrianne (黃 靈 川), Emily (郭 嘉 霖), Julian (黃 靈 昭), Regina Rebello, Wendy (郭 嘉 雯), Ian (黃 彥), Caroline Rebello, Bernadette (郭 嘉 燕), and Erica (劉 慧); and nine great grandchildren, Janine Leong, Nathan Leong, Leo Larson, Julian Chiu, Kai Yi Tan, Caleb Leong, Axel Larson, Roselyn Amelia Ling Sun, and Andrew Chiu.
What’s your fondest memory of OI-Lan?
What’s a lesson you learned from OI-Lan?
Share a story where OI-Lan's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with OI-Lan you’ll never forget.
How did OI-Lan make you smile?