Mr. Jimmy Kwong Yen Gee

Jimmy Kwong Yen Gee was born in Canton, China on May 22, 1937 and passed away peacefully on Monday, March 31, 2009, at the age of 71.

Jimmy immigrated to Gananoque, Ontario in 1959 where he became a part owner in a restaurant. He returned to Hong Kong in 1965 where he met Anna. Jimmy & Anna were married in 1968. Later that same year, they moved to Sherbrooke, Quebec where Jimmy managed a restaurant, Nanking Café, for his Uncle Jack Lee for 13 years. His three sons, Simon, Norman & Hyman were born in Sherbrooke.

Jimmy and his family lived in Vancouver as well as Calgary before settling in Burnaby in 1985 where he was very proud to see his sons complete university, get married and have families of their own.

Jimmy retired in 2001. He enjoyed retirement and spent his time volunteering, travelling & continually learning new things. During this time, he learned to use a computer and studied Mandarin.

He was a very social, caring and enthusiastic man and this was evident in the countless hours he spent volunteering at the Gee’s Benevolent Society and the S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Multi-Level Care Society. Jimmy received several awards for his volunteer work.

Jimmy loved experiencing new places and seeing new things. His travels included destinations such as Japan, the Caribbean, countless places throughout Canada and the United States, and three trips back to China.

Jimmy is survived by his loving wife Anna, his three sons and daughters-in-law: Simon and Susan, Norman and Elaine, Hyman and Valerie; his five grandchildren: Elliott, Ian, Caden, Natalie and Sabrina, and many other family and friends.

We all miss him greatly but find comfort in the knowledge that the suffering he endured over the last year is over. Three weeks before he passed, Jimmy accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour and was baptized. We know he is in a better place now.