Yat Wan Lee's Obituary
Yat-Wan Lee, beloved mother, sister, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on September 6, 2025, at the age of 82.
She was born on September 20, 1942, during the Second World War, in Japanese-occupied Malaya, in the state of Seremban. She was the youngest of nine children born to Lim Bangkun and Chen Xiang, who had migrated from Fujian Province, China, to work in the rubber plantations. The youngest of six sisters, she was affectionately called Ber Yi (“last aunt” in Fujian dialect) by her many nieces and nephews, whom she often helped care for as a girl. She was especially close to her fourth sister, who frequently carried her on the back of her bicycle — a bond of love and loyalty that endured throughout their lives.
A gifted student, Yat-Wan graduated with a degree in Marine Biology from Nanyang University in Singapore in 1966. She excelled in mathematics and delighted in problem-solving, later passing that passion on to her own children. Instead of bedtime stories, she offered multiplication tables to recite and algebra problems to solve, making sure her sons were always a step ahead in school.
She married Lee Swee-Ming in 1970. They had known each other since high school and made a good match — he loved to talk, and she was quiet. The family lived in Kuala Lumpur, where she and her husband built a life and raised their two sons.
In 1980, the family immigrated to the United States, settling first in Carmel, California. After her husband's overseas business collapsed, the family relocated to the San Francisco Bay Area — first to San Mateo, and then to Hayward — to start over. Life was not easy. The family lived in a small apartment behind a gas station and worked long hours running a small grocery store, and later a restaurant in Oakland. During long periods when her husband went overseas again, she managed much of the store herself, with help from her young sons — all while keeping the household together and ensuring that, despite hardship, there was always a warm and delicious dinner on the table.
Later in life, she lived in a home in Fremont, within walking distance from her son Linfoong. Independent and strong-willed, she filled her days with walking the neighborhood’s tree-lined streets, cooking, and babysitting local children — a joy that echoed her own childhood role of caring for her sisters’ families. During family gatherings, she especially cherished her time with her grand-nieces and nephews.
To her many nieces and nephews overseas, she was often more like a friend than an aunt — many were close to her in age, as the children of her older sisters were not much younger than she was. She will be remembered not just as Ber Yi, but as a beloved companion and older sister.
Diagnosed with cancer in May of this year, she faced her illness with courage and dignity, undergoing radiation and chemotherapy with quiet strength. In her final days, surrounded by love, she chose comfort and peace.
She is survived by her sons, Linfoong and Linchuan, and daughter-in-law, Alie. She will be remembered for her resilience, independence, and devotion to family.
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