Koon Sau Yip

Peacefully passed away on Monday, June 18th, 2007 at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, in her 92nd year. Born in 1915 during the periond of Civil War and later second World War to poor parents in China, she never had any chance to go to school but she learned how to read and write Chinese on her own and later picked up enough English to do her business. At the age of 18 years, she acquired the skills as a hairdresser and was married to Yip, Hon Yuen for 67 years until he passed away at the age of 107 in the year 2001. During the second World War in China, she braved bullets and bombs in a war torn city to continue her trade as a hairdresser merely with a pair of scissors and a chair and at the same time, she helped a lot of homeless young women acquire hair dressing skills to become financially independent. After immigrating to Canada in 1972 with her husband she set up Su's Hair Styling Salon first at Grange Avenue and later Kensington Avenue in downtown China Town. She was the first hair styling operator there and many Chinese in Toronto were her customers. Her bravery and hard working nature set a good example to many others besides being a loving and caring mother of sons Bing Lun and his wife Grace, Bing Wah and his wife Bik Kwan. Sadly missed by her grandsons John and his wife Catherine, Timmy and Bruce and grand daughters Jean and her husband Arnold Chan, Amy and her husband Felix Hung and Christine and great-grandsons Nathaniel, Ethan, Theodore and Jayden. She will be fondly remembered by her friends and relatives and the staff at Mon Sheong Home for the Aged in downtown Toronto where she resided for the last seven years. Our family is really greatfull to the Mon Sheong staff for their care and compassion expressed over the years. Friends may visit on Friday, June 22nd, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the R.S. Kane Funeral Home (6150 Yonge Street, at Goulding, south of Steeles). Funeral service will be held at the R.S. Kane Chapel on Saturday, June 23, 2007 at 1 p.m. Interment to follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery. As an expression of sympathy, donations to the Alzheimers Society.