18. TOY LEE FAMILY

At my brother's funeral in 2012, a young woman came up to offer her condolences and told me that she was Betty - Betty Lee - and over there was her brother, Bailey (see Post #17).

 I knew the names but not the adult faces nor did I have recall of times we might have shared as children.

 When I next saw Betty and Bailey, I did recognize them. It was at the Niagara Falls Ching Ming Festival in June 2017. I was pleased to see their continued involvement in the Chinese community. They also agreed to provide information about their family by completing the questionnaire that I was distributing.


LEE TOY (b.1924) immigrated from China in 1947-1948. He settled in Sturgeon Falls, ON before moving to Toronto. His wife, QUON HIM HI (b.1930), arrived in Canada in 1957.

 Lee Toy worked in the restaurant business. He passed away in 2005. Him Hi died in 2011.

 The couple had 4 children : Grace (b.1958), Bailey (b.1959), Betty (b.1962) and Rick (b.1969).

In 1962, the family moved to Niagara Falls and lived on the second floor at 226 Park Street - the same building my family owned and lived in.
How could I have forgotten that?

In 1962, Grace was 4 years old, Bailey was 3, and Betty may not have quite made her appearance yet. On the other hand, I was likely so full of my 10 year old self that I discounted the idea of younger playmates.

Nonetheless, I am pleased to know about them now . . .

    Grace TONG is divorced and has 2 children.
   Bailey is a widower. He does not have children.
   Betty BEATTIE and her husband, Rex, have 2 children.
   Rick and his wife, Bernice, have 2 children.



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