Ms. Cho Oi Chui

Always generous and thoughtful of her family and friends

Choi Oi Chui was born in Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China, in 1943. Her father died when she was young and her mother Quan Tai Wong raised her along with two other older daughters from a previous marriage. At 24, she married Chau Kong Chui, a young man whom a matchmaker recommended from a neighbouring village (Buicun) and working in Hong Kong. They had three children – Yvonne, Ken and Nathan.

In 1968, her husband took an opportunity to immigrate and join family in Vancouver, BC. He worked for the Dollar Meat Store in Chinatown. She joined her husband in 1975 with the young children. With only a basic education and a language barrier, she worked two jobs in the clothing factories in Gastown’s Water St and salmon cannery where she learned very basic English to fit into the new communities and culture. She realized these jobs would not support her family and a better life and in 1978, she came up with a plan to buy a house and acreage in the Big Bend area of south Burnaby to turn into a farm using a loan from friends, family and her husband’s employer.

Farming and agriculture were what she knew but hard, tough work from dawn to dusk and she was the main driving force of the market garden farm operation. Her husband kept his full time job at the butcher’s shop while helping with deliveries to grocery stores and produce terminals after work. The children helped from an early age as every pair of hands and feet was needed. Despite the grueling work, she took great pride in what she could do and her priority was supporting family and friends, raising good children and putting them first. The farm provided funds for higher education and a modest life and home for her children. Her green thumb skills in gardening and hard work fulfilled her vision.

She went out of her way to support family and friends in need, becoming a “rock” and anchor for our families and many others and made many meals as she was a great cook of traditional Cantonese style family dishes – chong fun, baos, soups, dumplings, fish and seafood, stews, veggies, joong, steamed cakes and much more. Many asked for her recipes and to sell her food in shops as it was a delicious and authentic taste of home. She would scoff since they did not realize she used the freshest and best ingredients and took a lot of time to do things by hand, no machines the traditional way. She and her daughter started creating small videos when she did not have the patience or skills to write down her recipes and started to teach others. She always tried to support people and look after them.

When the family farm was sold in in the late 1990’s, she worked at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory packing sweets and later as a personal cook and housekeeper in Richmond for over 5 years before fully retiring. Her children were her pride and joy and the best thing from her marriage. She loved her grandson Aiden and would check up on him and Nathan weekly through facetime or apps as they lived on the other side of the country in Florida. Although she was not good with technology and complained about her children and the younger generation on computers and smart phones, she quickly learned and liked to use the iphone and WeChat channel to keep in touch with people in China, Australia and across North America. She would check in weekly on her brother and extended family in Toronto, nephew in Australia and many others. Her strong, independent character, sacrifice and warm-hearted caring approach allowed her to overcome many challenges and be the social connector for extended family and friends. Her children, husband and close family and friends had the privilege of telling her we loved and appreciated all that she did for everyone. She was 79 when she left us from her sudden fall down the stairs, just shy of her 80th birthday. We will always miss her and she will be forever in our hearts. Rest in Peace.

A visitation for Cho will be held Thursday, January 12, 2023 from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM at Forest Lawn Funeral Home, 3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby, BC V5G3M1.

A funeral service will occur Friday, January 13, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, 3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby, BC V5G3M1.

A graveside service will occur Friday, January 13, 2023 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 3789 Royal Oak Ave, Burnaby, BC V5G3M1.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestlawn-burnaby.com for the Chui family.