Yon Sil (Lei) Packard was born July 10 1951, in Seoul, South Korea, during the Korean War, moving both with and without family to avoid the conflict of war and to survive. Little is known of her early years, as she did not want to talk about this part of her life, but she did train as a seamstress. Lei moved to the United States along with her older sister in her early twenties, living and working in New York City and in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
English was not her first language, but quickly learned, becoming fluent in the English language and becoming a naturalized America citizen on June 10, 1981. She was united in marriage to Donald Delyle Packard on December 18, 1980 at Ft. Bragg, North Carolina where her husband was stationed. As a military wife, she moved many times, living in North Carolina, Berlin, Germany, and Taegu, South Korea. Lei lived her last twenty years in Oregon City and Happy Valley after moving to Oregon from Fayetteville, North Carolina.
She started, worked, and managed her own successful Asian restaurant, and through her hard work and commitment turned her life into a success. Lei saw the American dream and reached for it.
Lei played golf and was a single handicap golfer, having two holes-in-one during her life. She also had a great passion for Korean cooking, along with enjoyment of traveling, singing, and gardening.
Lei passed away on Tuesday September 8, 2020 at the Providence Medical Hospital, Milwaukie at the age of 69.
She is survived by her husband Donald; two children, Jackie and Glen, and grandchild Kaylee.
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