Lily CHUN was born in Vancouver on April 21, 1918, at 1672 Albert Street, to CHAN Wah Shuck (father) and Hoo Shee (mother). Dr. T.H. Agnew was in attendance, which was unusual for the time, that is, having a medical professional. Her Chinese name, Fong Yee, is on her birth certificate, with “Lily” penned in ink. As noted, her father’s business is at 26 Canton Street (Chinatown).
Lily, or Lillian, was the fourth of eight children born in Vancouver to Hoo Shee. She also had a half-sister, CHIN Kam (aka Grace), who arrived in Vancouver in October 1912 (C.I.30 #00599). Kam was with her stepmother, Hoo Shee, and another relative, CHIN Oy (aka Annie). Both Kam and Oy were listed as “merchant’s daughters” from Ging Boy village, Sun Wui county, China.
Lillian’s siblings were Jessie (b. 1913), Kwok On (aka Harry/Harris, b. 1915), Margaret (b. 1916), Mary (b. 1919), Kwok Long (aka Jimmie/James, b. 1921), Yen (Rose, b. 1923), and Kwok Wo (aka Norman, b. 1925). Though her father had a business in Chinatown, the family lived in the area known today as Grandview-Woodland at 1870 Keefer Street; after 1929, that part of Keefer became Frances Street.
In 1930, the whole family left Vancouver for Hong Kong. Hoo Shee and her sons returned to Vancouver in 1934 (registered to re-enter under Section 24 of the 1923 Chinese Immigration Act; renewed, allowing them to be away for a maximum of four years). The Chan sisters remained in Hong Kong. Prior to the outbreak of WWII, the two eldest, Jessie and Margaret, succumbed to illnesses in Hong Kong; the youngest, Rose, managed to depart on the last ship leaving for Vancouver.
Lillian attended Macdonald School (1924-1930) in Vancouver, then Mui Fong Girls’ Secondary School (1931-37) in Hong Kong, followed by the Institute of Business Administration (1938-39). Upon completing her education, she found employment at Goddard & Douglas, marine surveyors (1940-41).
With the outbreak of war in 1941, Lillian and Mary fled Hong Kong, travelling to their ancestral village, Ging Mui Chuen, Ai Moon township, Xinhui (Sun Wui) county, Guangdong province. While there, they became aware of the US Army’s presence. This led to their employment in the military’s civilian secretarial pool given their bilingual and office skills.
Lillian was employed by the military for 18 months: 12th Service Group, Kweilin (May-June 1944), 69th Composite Wing, Kunming (July 1944-August 1945), and Army Exchange Service, Kunming (September-November 1945). During this latter period of service, her commanding officer, 2nd Lieutenant Jack Clements, Army Exchange Services, recommended that Lillian receive the Medal of Freedom with Gold Palm, specifically for her “exceptionally meritorious services as Stenographer and General Clerk [...] 1 September 1945 to 19 October 1945.”
Lillian returned from the war to Hong Kong to assess her options—stay or return to Vancouver and family. She arrived in Vancouver on August 28, 1946, aboard the S.S. Samflora.
Lillian successfully found employment at the Bank of Nova Scotia on her return, where she worked until her marriage to Wilbert Wong Lim on February 27, 1952. They had two daughters, Wil (Wilberta) Marilyn and Imogene Letitia.
With her children grown, Lillian returned to the workforce, which included Tai-Pan Restaurant (3005 Granville Street) where she mastered the art of mixology (although notable since she did not drink), and ended her work career with Canada Permanent Trust Co.
In retirement, she found community in practicing tai chi, and pleasure in lapidary and the craft of Chinese knotting.
Lillian died on November 15, 1997, in New Westminster, BC, due to complications following a medical procedure.