Person

Lee, Anne Wanda Mee Jen

• 李美珍

• Lew, Anne Wanda

1917-2007

Anne Wanda LEE was born LEE Mee Jen on February 7, 1917 in Victoria, B.C. to Lee Heme Woo and Lee Chow Shee (Elizabeth). Her father hailed from the 四邑 Seiyap / Sze Yup district of 台山 Toisan / Taishan county in 廣東 Guangdong province. He arrived in Victoria in 1899 at age 16. He returned to China to meet and marry a wife, then returned to Canada. Anne's mother would join him in Canada in 1913 with their firstborn son, John, from Mow Kung, Hoy Ping.

Anne's father, Lee Woo, was an elder of the Chinese Presbyterian Church, which was an integral part of their family life. Always a kind, hard-working diligent worker, he found work at Chemical Works, a sulphur factory near Victoria’s Butchart Gardens. It was there that he lost sight in his left eye. During the depression years, he worked at Palm Dairy where at the end of the day, he collected the leftover milk/cream to help feed his family and neighbours. He later worked many years as the housekeeper and chief cook at Wayside House, a denominational nursing home, until he retired.

Anne's mother gave birth to her eleven children over a 17-year period. She efficiently managed the household, grew vegetables, gardened, sewed clothes, cooked and volunteered at and attended church. The family lived on Blanchard Street near Victoria’s Memorial Arena within walking distance to Chinatown, the church, and work. They lived there until the 1970s when it was expropriated to widen Blanchard Street to connect to the Pat Bay Highway. Her mother passed away at age 65 while her father lived his remaining years with various daughters until he was 93.

Anne grew up in a hard-working but fun-loving family. She was the third of 11 children with one older brother and eight sisters and one brother in the middle of the family. Anne loved sewing and playing sports, including basketball for the Church’s team. She was a very fast runner, roller skater, and tap dancer. She attended George Day Grammar School, but had to leave school after Grade 9 to help support the family. Their home was a beehive of activity with nine girls and two boys.

Anne moved to Vancouver with sisters Ruth, Ora, Daisy, and brother, Roland in 1942 when jobs in the city paid a bit better than in Victoria. Anne worked for Seasonal Grocery Store for Henry Wong. She and her siblings lived together on Howe Street and would all send money home to help the rest of the family. The family remained close all their lives.

Soon after WWII, Anne met and married Yue Wing LEW in 1947. His brother, George, had been dating Anne's sister, Ora. Wing was born and raised in Vancouver. Together, they had two daughters: Carolyn and Darlene, and three grandchildren Christopher and Jessica Ewings, and Sara Matthews.

Anne and her husband owned and operated Lew's Cleaners on Commercial Drive. It was a dry cleaning/coin-operated laundry business that they ran for close to 40 years.

She was known for being a gentle soul. Anne passed away the morning of December 6, 2007. She is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Chow Shee ([1885]-1950)

Lew, Yue Wing (1921-2016)

Description supplied by collector/curator