Ms. Marilyn Sandra Chung

Marilyn was born on September 29, 1935 in Victoria, B.C., Canada. The youngest of ten children, she was predeceased by her parents, Chung Ham and Hong Lan Sew; brothers Batchin and Yuen; and sisters Dora Lee and Eva Wong. She is survived by her brothers Wallace, Barry, and Batlang; sisters Lilian Lum and Daisy Kong; and three generations of nieces and nephews.

Marilyn received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Victoria, and worked as a registered nurse for many years in the capital city before moving to the Lower Mainland. Working in the Neonatal Unit at Royal Columbian Hospital (RCH), she made the daily commute from Surrey to New Westminster. After earning her Masters degree at the University of Washington, she became head of RCH's Neonatal Unit. Marilyn received many accolades over the years. One of her most cherished was the Recognition Award for Valuable Contribution to the Nursing Profession presented to her in 2004 by the Registered Nurses Association of British Columbia.

To her hospital co-workers and patients, Marilyn was known for her leadership skills, intrepid advocacy for them, and deep well of kindness and caring. To her friends, she was known for her dependability, adventurous spirit, and competitiveness in recreational games. To her relatives, she was known for her family loyalty, frank honesty, and bright energy.

Marilyn was famous for her cooking, her lo mein being the top request for RCH staff potlucks. She was most famous for her desserts and knew exactly who loved her pound cake, who loved her Nanaimo Bars, who loved her butter tarts, and who especially loved her lemon meringue pies. Marilyn's lemon meringue pies were so popular that for years, she had to make six of them for every family gathering.

Marilyn had a great love for animals, particularly dogs and cats. In her retirement, she took up birding and like many birders, was "christened" more times than she would have liked. She also greatly enjoyed golfing with her friends and travelling with her sisters.

Marilyn passed away peacefully in her sleep on September 18, 2023. Her family would like to express their enormous gratitude to all the staff at Crofton Manor. Their tender care ensured that Marilyn's final months were filled with comfort and love.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to one of Marilyn's favourite charities, the BC SPCA.