施文霞 Grace Sy-Bun-Ha Lieuson

** Natasha wrote:

Grace Sy-Bun-Ha Lieuson was born on August 15, 1957, to Sy Khim Piao & Chua Nay Sun. She was their third of four children, & their only daughter. She married Elis Lieuson on January 9, 1988, & had one daughter, Natasha. Grace grew up in Manila, in a large compound shared by the extended family. She played with her siblings & cousins as they grew up together in the ways of the Lord. Many days were spent bowling, singing in church choirs, & learning to cook by watching her mom, with whom she was very close.

In her teenage years, she was part of the founding class of the Echoettes, a Filipino-Chinese youth choir established in 1972. Tremendously talented, they toured internationally, performing many shows both at home & abroad throughout the 70s. At home, the Echoettes were so well received that they were invited to perform at Malacañang Palace for the first lady. On one of their trips abroad, Grace & her younger brother traveled to Vancouver, Canada, & played in the snow for the first time! It was also the trip she billeted with her future in-laws, the Lieusons. The Echoettes established not only a community of lifelong friends but also a legacy of excellence that led to a full-repertoire reunion concert thirty-nine years later, in 2011.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Grace excelled academically as well, completing high school in both English & Mandarin at Westminster High School. She continued on to complete her BSc. Medical Tech in 1979 at the Philippine Women’s University. Unfortunately, a cheating scandal caused by less scrupulous students at the graduation exams caused a delay in the release of all diplomas, even for students of Grace’s high academic integrity. This caused a fateful career shift, beginning her career in IT.

Around this time, Grace was introduced to Elis, her future husband. After a three-year courtship, they were married in the Philippines before she returned home to Canada with him. Emigrating at thirty to a country an ocean away was certainly daunting, but Grace faced each day’s new challenges with courage & grace. She was a faithful & dedicated wife & daughter-in-law, & quickly found a new community with her mother's Mandarin choir at ECBC. She sat with her new father-in-law & talked with him nearly daily. At home with Elis, she worked to arrange a beautiful home, full of musical accents.

Grace then gave birth to a daughter, Natasha. She was a dedicated mother, ever-giving & devoted to caring in the face of numerous health concerns. Grace was ever gentle & patient. Her love was evident in her eternal, unwavering support as Natasha grew, encouraging endeavors in academics, music, & in athletics. They were close, as Grace & her own mother had been, & often went on ice cream dates, market excursions, or walks with Willow, their dog.

Despite being busy at home, Grace also maintained a successful career. She joined IBM as a tester in 2000 & quickly blossomed under the mentorship of her new manager. While she was always self-conscious that she didn’t go to school for IT, her talents in dealing with people more than made up for any perceived lack of knowledge. She had a way of connecting with people & making them feel heard. She was noted for her kindness, joy, & hard work, while also consistently getting results. By the time she moved to WorkSafe, with TATA, she was well recognized & sought after for her achievements.

Largely, the skills that made her accomplished in her work, she learned from choir. Quiet & thoughtful by nature, her ability to listen made it easy for others to trust her. She never longed for it, but she was often selected by her peers to be part of the leadership team. She was leaned upon as a dutiful cornerstone of the community. She loved to sing & listen to classical music, even if she couldn’t help but smile cheekily when she heard something a little out of tune.

In June 2021, Grace was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Treatment progressed well, & encouraged, she lived life to the fullest. Unexpectedly in June 2022, it was discovered that the disease had spread to her brain as well. To go so early in life was not the path she would have chosen, but her great faith in God allowed her to trust that she would be ready to go when the time came & not fear death.

Grace passed on August 9, 2022; six days short of her sixty-fifth birthday. She slipped away peacefully in a room overlooking the water. She was attended by her dedicated husband & daughter & departed shortly after hearing from her extended family & listening to her favorite songs.

She was blessed to not have been in pain, blessed to have joined the company of the Lord, & though she will be dearly missed, she is blessed to be loved by so many.

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** Elis wrote:

Passed away at VGH; cancer spread to the brain. Survived by husband Elis, daughter Natasha, two remaining brothers, spouses, & children. Services held at Oceanview, Burnaby, & Fujian Evangelical Church, Richmond, BC. Laid to rest in Oceanview, Burnaby, BC. Predeceased by her 2nd brother & parents.

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** Final days:

Prone to vomiting over her life from menstruation or rides. Gets anxious seeing a doctor, lab test or medical questions. Braved it when she had to do these a lot in her last year. The 1st bone treatment led to a scary ER visit. The 2nd precedes her vomiting which led to her death.

Tried not to think of dying but was realistic. Tried hard in the last months in the hospital. Never gave up on me, especially when I was so hard on her for various reasons over time. That alone speaks louder than words for me, & how Natasha loved her so much in action & words over a lifetime, & how her family, friends, & co-workers spoke of her & remembered her, & came to speak or write to me of her.

She will be remembered & treasured by me for sure, & all these I know. There was nothing fake about her because her actions & persistence spoke more than the words, she chose not to say most of the time. That was the purpose she really was.

Many were shocked by her passing. They expressed how her smile, demeanor, & impact on their life were at a level unequaled. She was likewise when she faced the greatest fear of her life.

The loud cry she made in our daughter’s empty nest room last year on the rocking chair my eldest brother bought my dad when my dad too faced cancer many years before. The day I took her to the hospital 2022 June when I tried to tell her, it wasn’t the same as what you heard of your own dad’s last days.

When she first got brave & told me there was something she needed to show me in 2021, I sensed it was very ominous. There were many times since then, including her hospital stay this past month that we had hoped she would be able to return home to recover. I had to ask her to apply her “ieng kai”.

She loved the flowers Miriam had Natasha get on her last birthday. They all were so joyful about that find & we spoke of it for many days. Each morning she walked down the stairs 1st thing saw was them, the papaya she loved, & pineapple I craved many that year.

She marked in her living bible "2021-08-14" Jonah 2:5-6 "I sank beneath the waves & death was very near. The waters closed above me; the seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I went down to the bottoms of the mountains that rise from off the ocean floor. I was locked out of life & imprisoned in the land of death. But, O Lord my God, you have snatched me from the yawning jaws of death!", 1 day before her last birthday. I didn't realize she was hurting this much that day when we went shopping for groceries, fruits, & the large glass pitcher to hold her needed water, & drove around with Natasha to the crescent round park on Granville 16th 33rd area. She had just called Aso to wish her a happy birthday.

We all want to hear God but often we ignore what He says when we do hear. 2 weeks before covid was declared in Canada, one early morning I sensed an unusual rustling of the wind on the nearby trees & the unusual lighting in the sky. I knew something big was going to happen. A few weeks before Grace showed me her… I had sensed like that covid early warning I got, a total silence dead silence. I didn’t want to accept the verdict but whenever I keyed her name on my smartphone, the letter ‘c’ turns up as ‘v’. It scared me in those early months. I learn not to ask to heal, but for reprieves, & God provided them.

I coax her to let her brothers, cousin Tena, & more know, & eventually, in her final days, her co-workers. A private person rather helps others than have others hover around her. A mother to her own mother as she was frail when we got married. A mother to our daughter & to me, even when she had to deal with her impending death.

She asked God only to keep her faith & faithfulness. Chose to keep her condition quiet. I slowly urged her, she needs to now include our daughter in her walk, brothers, uncle, cousin Tena, & others, my siblings & families, our church community & friends, & eventually, her co-workers as well.

Several people provided us with meals for Grace; Luis & Tena, Peter & Pei, & Evelyn & Jeff often. Grace delighted in them & rationed them being mindful that I received a healthy portion even though she needed them more than I. I in turn likewise. It is much like that story of the watch & the comb. It was hard to eat her hospital meals when she was no longer able to herself so that I don’t have to leave her side to get my meals. Life priorities were constantly shifting & what was hard became what I now miss.

Heartbroken each time gave hope then denied breast surgery, a stent to save her kidney, a radiation treatment to reduce her brain tumor, surgery to drain the fluids in her brain, a feeding tube, & an IV line direct to her heart … She would have said NO anyways to each had the doctors not taken her options away. God gave her grace, she retained her hair, left her breasts intact which started to look normal again in the last week or two, & her kidney function was restored back from 39% to 98%. her breast started to look normal again. Little miracles happen constantly. God granted her the best palliative room there was. It felt like an executive suite. A wonderful clear view of the Vancouver cityscape & the international fireworks competition on two of the three nights.

Her mother chose her name well, ‘Grace’. The clerk failed to write it down with her anglicized Fujian name on her birth certificate. It made me notice her name that much more especially when the nurses had to be rough on her body.

Even in pain, she took it rather than be a bother. I told her, there were no pain meds until the doctor comes in the morning. Hours later, the doctor & I found her in a particularly weird position. She found a way to tolerate the intolerable pain & slept soundly. A few times I woke up at night in the hospital & saw her eyes wide open, unable to sleep, yet she kept quiet & allowed me to sleep instead.

It was a hard battle when the medical system was strained. She went in with just nausea & vomiting that had no single cause. New more debilitating symptoms & coincidentally can be side effects of the medications administered yet were attributed to her ailing body instead. This became the hardest life challenge we both faced walking with God. The balance between faith in Him & what He has provisioned. Those professionals seem so able yet often just as lost but unwilling to admit it. The fine line of what ‘caring’ meant surfaced often. Often, ‘caring’ can do more harm than good.

A week before her last day, I noticed her day nurse of the day preoccupied. An urge from me to ask her & I was surprised what lies beneath when you follow an urge from God. Her close friend’s 20-year-old son passed away just a week before & she just learned of his celebration of life event in a few days on a day she was working. She lost sleep the night before scrambling to find someone who could do her shift. I saw her come in that night & I wanted to ask her how it went. I learned many other deep things about her life & her daughter’s & what her future life plans were. Little did I realize; this was the last night Grace will be with us too.

When God whispers & you listen, it is amazing but sometimes also daunting.

One week before she died, she was barely with us anymore. The palliative head doctor said it is unlikely she would become lucid again, but if so, only very short moments & barely ever. Instead, a little miracle. Days later, a small miracle. As the long weekend ended, Grace got very lucid like going to work. She was lucid for the whole day & the next. She was a joy for those two days again.

God's reprieves are amazing.

Then my sister brought their new puppy. Grace got so excited. Natasha inspired brought Willow the next day. Grace often trained Willow quietly in the early hours when she looked after her daily needs while we were still asleep. The tricks were unique & required ingenuity & patience such as how to count. It was amazing to watch on those days I woke early to catch a glimpse.

Slept late but woke early. I worried for her health but somehow, she managed to keep everyone happy, including our dog that loved her very much. Grace was so happy when Natasha put her beside her in the hospital bed. Grace had instilled in Natasha a sense of wonder & living for simple joys & rooted in God that became apparent to me when I showed Natasha my scripture selections. She remembered the Lamentation verse we just read today that Grace had shared last year right after receiving the deadly news the verses she had received from God. Natasha provided other selections. When I asked, were they from her mom as well? No, she said, it was verses here & there she remembered & felt were appropriate for each specific service here.

I did not realize how much Grace is affected by me & others but I think her uncle knew as he asked her for her forgiveness for things in life, he was unable to ‘ieng kai’ for he had promised her dad he would look after her when he died. When I learned of how devastated her younger brother was & was having trouble coping, it dawns on me that all those occasions when I Viber him to ask him to give Grace encouragement like she used to give him growing up & in this past year, I did not realize the trauma I was dragging him thru. Grace’s parents & all their relatives live by the ‘ieng kai’ deeply rooted in what God is all about. They don’t live by doctrine but by action & willingness to give.

When God did not heal her as we prayed, I instead asked for reprieves, & we received plenty. Too many to list here. Of the 7 palliative rooms, hers turned out the biggest, coolest, & the best view of Vancouver Cityscape & the international fireworks. Did she leave anything in life undone, a wish unfulfilled? No.

She got to see our daughter blossom even in the midst of our daughter’s own disaster. Another miracle? After months of dealing with the impossible housing situation, the place they found turned out to be just 5 blocks from the hospital Grace would end up weeks after. Natasha had a short trek to visit each day.

Natasha came over more frequently since she learned of her mother’s cancer. She came on purpose to cheer her mom up with facial & words expressions, options, thoughts, solutions, & suggestions. She provided Grace with some needlepoint projects they shared together to make. Grace was excited to tackle these. She also took Grace out for walks in the neighborhood, Pacific Spirit Park, & other destinations including shopping sprees as Grace loves window shopping just to look around. Mother-daughter was close much like Grace was with her mother.

Why did she continue to work?

She worried for our daughter & me. We tried to keep her occupied with something she could enjoy. I tried to get her to quit or call in sick. She would do neither but would make up time when she had her medical appointments. When co-workers rescheduled meetings, she would try to accommodate them at the expense of her medical appointments. She felt needed & that was what drives her. It made her feel good somehow. Dealing with work issues was more fulfilling than her medical situation. Sometimes, it feels like the work kept her alive longer even though often, I thought it shortened her life.

Worksafe was undergoing a major reorg. She worried about the pending heavy work changes & demands. Instead, she was offered a higher position the week she received word stage 4. Hard choice but she gave health priority. The week after, a multinational offered her to head a bleeding edge group using AI technology & innovating new strategies. She could hire anyone & allow them to work from anywhere in the world. Too tempting. But she also declined. Recently I learned, she would have been promoted had she not passed away, & that no one can replace her.

Why wait 25 days instead of the traditional 3-5 days to bury her & to perform all these services?

This is the God thing again. The place I can find that can provide the dignity she deserved was too busy. By the grace of God, the funeral director stepped up to give us grace. Key people either had difficulty traveling or had travel plans that cannot be changed. I had to learn to trust God & He is providing. Getting a visa for her brothers & uncle in the Philippines was a hardship. Her only cousin in town Tena & Luis had their own family things they had scheduled out of the country. My brother Rossano & Gene had their own plans. Pastor George & Ease, their children had bought a trip package long before. Pei & Peter had been stressed out for years & needed a trip. Pastor Ho was not returning till Aug 31. I was all burnt out to rush anything.

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** Character:

A tendency to bring peace to her relationships by avoiding disagreements. Made use of perspectives from others & things around her to construct sensible outcomes such as meals, family, or work decisions. Believed that behavior spoke for itself. In everything she did, understood what suited her & what didn't. Always willing to share what she had made or created with others around her.

Often made notes & lists in tiny print, things that needed to get done or acquired & such. Often explores & experiments on her own, asking for information, when necessary, rarely asking others to do it instead of doing it herself. A homebody & who knows it but loves to travel either to certain countries like the UK or simply just ride in the car going anywhere. Just being on the road was good enough for her. When she was diagnosed with Cancer and covid was still running amok worldwide, took pleasure with Elis driving the 2 of them about to discover/rediscover places around daily after she finishes work. Due to covid, she got to work from home. A blessing from God.

One dusk I had to stop the car suddenly because a pedestrian abruptly crossed the street. We got hit behind by a young man a little drunk driving too close to us. There was no noticeable damage so I let it go to avoid any more stress. She perceived my needs and suggested we do not need to drive around anymore and that she was ok to just stay at home. Lives life finding practical outcomes & adapting herself as necessary. Likes to get things over with quickly & not get worked up for what cannot be undone.

Shy & sensitive, a person who never forced her opinions & values on others. Close friends knew that her kindness was unmatched. Once a friend, you see how true a friend she is. Quick to gain a good rapport with even strangers. Sensitive to others’ feelings, modest & tolerant. While growing up, her best friends were Bambie & Maeva. Leaves behind a treasury of lifelong friendships & wonderful memories. Always had much to give. A faithful, practical, & loving person.

Exceptionally sympathetic & compassionate when it came to her daughter. The emotional bonds made her as much a playmate as a parent. Gave her family unconditional love & kindness, sharing her artistic nature by turning everyday events into creative play.

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** Passion:

Part of the choirs: Zion, Echoettes, ECBC Mandarin Choir, FEC Chinese, & English choirs. Her cousin Tena FEC music director often called her to help with special small group singing groups or when the Mandarin choir needed an extra voice. Very close to her choirs back in the Philippines. Their parents had opened up their home for the young people to meet up in their home fellowshipping. Their piano became old & decrepit & the red felt strip that covers the keys was torn & tattered from being so well used by those fellowshipping.

Part of the Echoettes performing the Asian & North American continents to support a Missionary, including choreographed movements and Filipino bamboo dancing. Wearing costumes at times. Was asked to do acting roles in FEC, did not hesitate to say yes & put in great effort to do a great job! During covid, she was one of the few who remained with the FEC choir to produce video choir presentations. She continued to do so even when battling cancer.

Faith was important to her. She was diligent to read her Bible and pray daily. Initially, her Chinese Bible until it became too torn & well-used, then her English Bible also got torn & well-used. You could find note markings all over her bible that indicated she was trying to connect the dots between the chapters & verses in an intense way. She had a passionate commitment to live her religious values.

Planning to learn violin when she retired. Content with herself but was also willing to spend time with others with their interests. Relaxed in her approach to leisure time to savor the moment.

Loved watching the Olympics & World competitions in swimming, gymnastics, & skating. Loves watching cute Korean stories, Tagalog or Mandarin chatty shows, cooking shows, & Romantic shows. She would show a real interest in shows that I like to watch.

Wanted to travel to the UK & had hoped to watch the coronation of the next Monarch which happened a year after she died. Very interested in the British Monarch the Queen & her direct descendants. I had difficulty arranging trips. The 1st time I wanted to take her to the UK was the period of the mad cow disease & like covid today, international travel & health checks were daunting for me because Britain was a prime source of that disease. Now, it is a regret no matter how I justify it.

Loved puppies growing up. As a mother, though she did not approve of getting a dog for our daughter, later she often looked after the dog’s morning routine by going outside & giving her breakfast & used that opportunity to teach Willow interesting tricks which she took great patience to teach such as how to count & running in a figure 8 around her legs.

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** Growing up:

Her parents raised her & her brothers lovingly with each other & with others & have an optimistic outlook despite the difficult life they had. Her father had to take on paying off the heavy debts his own father left behind when his father died prematurely. Her father was the oldest of many siblings & had to assume responsibility for such a large family at a young age. Growing up with such a large number of aunts & uncles who respected her father for looking after them had a significant positive impact on her outlook on life. She sought out the possibilities in a given situation & looked for ways to apply her creative energies. Rarely called attention to herself, but when she did speak out, her message was clearly understood & appreciated by those around her at work, home, extended families, & members of the choirs she was involved in over her life.

She had only her grandmother from her father's side & her grandfather from her mother's side when she married. At the time, the grandmother was celebrating her 80th birthday at a large banquet in customary red, which was attended by her soon-to-be husband.

She related the story of how his father, who was 20 years junior to her mother, had flown to the United States to woo her mother while she was pursuing a master's degree in music. Her father represented Taiwan in Asian Games. Her father's mother, who was reared with her feet traditionally tried to be kept small as an old Chinese practice to make a lady's feet "beautiful," ruled the enormous compound she grew up on with all of her father & siblings' families. Grace shared that their lobby was so large that her father used to practice for his badminton tournament in their main lobby.

By the time she got married, her parents and her father’s siblings’ families were no longer living all together. Their own compound however was still substantial compared to Canadian standards. Their main lobby has a waiting area comparable to a large Vancouver west-side house. Their living room is the size of 3 to 4 Vancouver living rooms. Her grandfather & grandmother were staying with them. Her grandfather was in his 90s & was cold all the time even in the steaming hot heat of the Philippines. Wearing a sweater did not provide sufficient heat for him. Her grandmother was barely talking by that time.

A month after getting married & now fully emigrating to Canada during a family get-together on her husband’s side in Canada, they received word of her grandfather’s passing. She knew he was holding onto life just to see her get married. She was the oldest granddaughter he had & her mother was the oldest in her large family of siblings.

Between graduating from all schooling & finding her purpose in life, there was a short period of time when she took on tutoring at home. Though her parents had a car & chauffeur, she often takes the local jeepney & bus. She found them more convenient & was not afraid of the risks or conditions involved. Though well off-compared to most Filipinos but not so compared to many wealthy Chinese Filipinos in their social circles, she & her brothers grew up to live life with & without luxuries in life. It was part of their Christian upbringing to make do with what God had provided them.

They were buoyous in celebrating each other's birthdays with cards & well wishes in her family. It demonstrated how close they were to each other. Cared for her mom tremendously & often shop for clothes for her mother when she became a young adult.

Before getting married, she shared her bedroom with her grandmother. She had several large closet spaces one of which housed a very large collection of stuffed toys, each wrapped in its own clear plastic to protect it from the constant dirt in the air of Metro Manila. In a matter of one day, the dust that will settle is a lot. She had to select only a few to take to Canada. Had things her mother had prepared for her when she has a household to run such as chinaware, cookware, & pillowcases. Brought along fancy dresses she had made as labor was more affordable there. Hardly had the chance to wear them as there was no occasion for them. Brought her large collection of miniature shoes, & musical instruments. Included were 12 international dolls she bought from big brother when he first ventured to earn a living buying wholesale & selling retail. It was a treasure for her.

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** Wife:

37 years 8 months ago, Grace braved alone in a caravan of cars of my relatives taking us up to some remote resort to have a meal. She & I were placed alone in one of the cars. It was only last year I learned from her she had no clue what that trip was about. We were married for 34 years & 8 months. We corresponded 2 years before I proposed. I wrote:

“God paves many roads that lead to many places. Let us thank Him that we travel the one to Life! Will you, Grace, travel this road by my side as my wife? Let us keep each other company, love each other; grow in Him together; & raise children in His love.”

I sent her flowers with them & wrote: “I HOPE the Pink Roses was a PLEASANT Surprise. The Florist asked WHAT MESSAGE to enclose. I Had so MANY. BUT I REMEMBERED: ‘To put a touch of CLASS, send it with a card, Simply Signed.’” Followed by: “Delight yourself in the Lord, & He will give you the desires of your heart.” Of Psalm 37:4

I asked her why she married me. She was so beautiful inside & out. She could have anyone, so why me? She said she heard from God early in life that she would live most of her life away from her home. She declined at least one local boy's proposal because of that. And, she said, I was very handsome.

She lives by one principle only: “ieng kai”. The closest English word is, “ought to” though in reality, there is no word that comes close. If you grew up in a royal family, you might learn to appreciate what it means. But when you walk with God, you learn what it means much more for that is how God is & how He trains us to become.

She loved music, clearly, not just to sing, listen, & perform, but encourage. She loves decorating with musical symbols. Today, as a final goodbye gesture of ‘put a touch of CLASS, send her off, Simply Signed with a symbol of the Music she brought into my life in ways beyond just sound, breath, but more about how to live & interact.

Her fiancée's honeymoon destination, a new white sandy beach resort district on Boracay island that had yet to be discovered by tourists, had to be modified owing to ongoing random violence in the Philippines by insurgents & kidnappers.

She suggested a nearby resort that her choir had used. It was old & off-season at the time. Venues were mostly deserted. For the 1st time in 3 years, since they were introduced, they had time to be alone with each other. Had the good fortune to visit Boracay with her grown-up daughter Natasha much later. It had become an old & popular tourist attraction then. The good news was that it was easy to discover alternate meal places in order to reduce the chance of allergic reactions.

She provided me with a safety net in everything. Natasha shared that her mom took her to see my mom in the hospital the day she died. She did this when I could not myself.

“An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, & he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, & not harm, all the days of her life. “

“An excellent wife is the crown of her husband”

A person’s life decisions tell loudly who the person is

After accepting my marriage proposal, I asked her: Get married in her home country or mine. Live there or here? She chose the latter first, mine, for my sake. Then she chose there for the first selfishly for her mother’s sake as her mother’s heart will break because of her first decision.

I foolishly chose to live with my parents thinking it best. My mother taught me: only one can be a queen. I realized the weight Grace took on: accepting to be the least in our new household. I was glad my mom was willing to say goodbye teaching me this invaluable lesson of Grace.

I did not want her to be a servant but rather a life partner: you can choose to work or not. During those early years, Canada discriminates against her 3rd-world education & work experiences. Not only strived hard but was steadfast in career goals that many Canadians including me succumbed many times over. Her ‘ieng kai’ drive made her partner both in tradition & in how we have evolved to think. She did not demand from me what I ought to do, nor did she relent on any part what was expected of wives in the past. She took a lot on!

Many Asian women prefer to keep their maiden name to retain their legal identity & their independence from their husbands. She chose to adopt mine & formally adopt the name ‘Grace’ her mother had wanted her. She shed her birthright & took on her second birth role. Consistently took on life challenges this way.

Had the freedom to keep her money & property separate when I already had shared all of mine. Chose to share hers with me too. Had the freedom to draw funds directly. Chose to have me manage our assets holistically. Never once withdrew money or spend it on credit even when I made it clear, she did not need my approval. The level of trust she had over what could have been hers to keep & control had always blown my mind. Never doubts my integrity & I am so honored by her decision on that matter every day.

When my parents passed away, she never asked for a share of my inheritance. Kept her distant from them even though I had said all I had received was hers too.

Never nags me except when I take too much time from our daughter or others. Never demands me to be responsible for anything. Will adjust & get things done if I am unable for any reason. Doesn’t bug me about my failures except when I make her or others feel vulnerable. Forgiving of me & everyone else. We are still married mainly because of that.

Over the years there were only 2 things she answers to my question, what would you like? A separate living room that is kept nice to look at & maybe someday to visit England. It was hard to make the first happen as space is premium but I was happy to know every time I see our living room it was something I was able to make happen with her.

Loves nice things, & shops a lot, but barely buys. Anything she buys, you can be sure she spent great effort considering many things. Like most ladies, loves jewelry, a hairdo, & makeup. Barely put on any. Loves keeping things natural & simple. That is why she looked so lovely all the time even during her last days. I am so glad she values natural beauty all her life.

Loves taking on rides, shopping for things to improve in the kitchen, decorating Christmas every year, singing in choirs & rehearsals, & most of all, looking after me & especially Natasha & her dog Willow. Loves to cook, host, & just listen to people talk. Kneels by her bedside every morning & every night, praying for others. Chooses to easily forget things so you can be sure your secrets are safe with her & if you have wronged her; she has already let them go.

Loves to learn & do. Doesn’t wait for lessons but loves to ask questions to learn from people. Loves to help people get things they need or want in life.

No trouble biting the bullet. You know you can rely on her. She’ll do her exercises & she does not need you to see her do it. Precise & her eyes are like an eagle. Can find things easily that I cannot. Can make things look nice, & taste good. Prefers to help you look good than to make her look good at your expense.

In her last days, she would raise her hand & I would help her raise it high. She would move her hands like conducting. These were her ways to cope to still strive to live, to exercise, to ‘get better’ even when the odds were against her. Her drive to live was insatiable but she was not afraid to die, nor fearful of indignity or pain.

Her last gesture was, not saying never give up, but rather, simply never gave up by… When I eventually realized her intention, I then knew how to help her. That is how she helps me, you. She observed … then helped us how we needed to be helped, not how she believed we needed to be helped.

I bring her purse with me, her phone next to mine in it, with Viber & WhatsApp installed that I now use to reach her family & my family as she was bolder to use those than I had before. Her alarm clock still rings every morning reminding me of her daily routine. I say hi to her. Her English bible, & Chinese bible, were beyond worn with use, marked & stuffed with many things.

I find little things here. There. Fine details I used to ignore catch my attention now. I wished I had spent more time talking to her, being with her, getting to know her better, & being more in her life. I realize I should be mindful of these now with Natasha & people who are close to me.

I need to be more like her & these things, thoughts, memories & you help me be a better person because of her. We often are obsessed with love, to be loved, to love. Love is not about how but rather am – & that is Grace in a nutshell & what she left in each of us to feel & to be for each other going forward. That is the little miracle for me that He gave when He decided it was time for her to now rest. Her purpose is finished. Now the ebbs move forward.

=== --- --- ---

** Her care of our daughter:

We tried to conceive for many years unsuccessfully, seven years to be exact. We prayed & accepted that even if the child was problematic, we would love it for that was how we walked in God together. In the 7th year of our marriage, we decided to fly back to the Philippines to see her family again. She had us go via Hong Kong to introduce me to her two favorite aunts, her mom’s sisters. One had no children except for a husband. She was down to earth & was very fervent in church. She gave us a tour of Hong Kong by foot & transit. Her husband was an avid gardener of many potted plants in their old condominium. She was the second sister of her mom. She had worked for the Hong Kong government & retired comfortably. The other aunt was her mom’s fourth sister. She worked for a very affluent owner of a large company & the owner took care of her very well. A good wage & a large luxury condominium to live in as the owner trusted her tremendously in critical care of his company. This aunt was more affluent-minded. We got to stay with them for a night. The week after we returned home, we tried conceiving again & it turn out successful.

The OBGYN doctor gave us stern discipline for trying to conceive at this late age of Grace’s life. He said the probability of genetic issues was much higher when conceiving at such a late age. He warned us there was a high possibility the child will have Down syndrome. We were fine with it. Midway through the pregnancy, the doctor warned that Grace had gestational diabetes. The danger was the fetus was growing too fast, too large & may end up unable to pass through the birth canal. We learned the watermelon that we were eating a lot was partly at fault because of its high sugar content. The was high so he decided to induce labor on the day she was due. It was a long hard labor & Grace originally chose not to use an epidural. She stuck to that decision right to the last moment possible which was 2 hours before birthing started.

Once crowning at 10 cm was reached, the contraction pain was unbearable. Grace could hardly take the pain she previously decided she would. It was too late to ask for an epidural. The birthing pain made her think twice about having another baby & if she did, she said the next one will be with an epidural.

The doctor allowed 2 hours max for the crowning & told us he would proceed with a caesarian otherwise. That announcement made the birthing pain much less an issue as somehow, we both were scared of having the caesarian done. About 10 minutes left, we were told he will prepare for the surgery now. Fear struck both of us tremendously. For me, I was afraid I might lose Grace and/or the baby. We prayed together desperately like death was coming. When she was wheeled into the operating room, I was given the chance to gown up & stay by her side. She was given something to stop the pain at this point. She became groggy & was shivering from fear and/or side effects of the medication.

Placed on the table with her arms spread across like a cross. Later we learned the doctor decided at the last minute to try something else before doing the surgery. He made a small incision to enable the birthing hole a bit more breathing space & then decided to use forceps to pull the baby out. He told us later it was a one-shot deal & if that did not work, he’d operate immediately.

We were both surprised at how fast that went & the baby was laid on the table to be warmed & checked. The baby looked like the queen the Chinese name Grace chose for her from the several Chinese names Elis’ mother gave Grace to choose from.

Grace's love for her daughter Natasha was immense!!!

Caring for the baby was an interesting journey with caring for the incision of the birthing canal to ensure no complications. We often drove the baby in the car late at night long distances such as to Coquitlam to get her to sleep. Like Grace, the baby liked riding in the car but we had to shield her from the street lights they pierced through.

There was a time when the baby had to be admitted to the hospital. She had to be transferred to St. Joseph on Kingsway because there was no room in the children’s hospital. Allowing the doctors to insert a tube through the baby's nose to help her breathe was agonizing for Grace. She held Natasha all night on a chair by the baby crib in the hospital foregoing her own sleep. On another occasion, the baby had a cold or flu that would not go away. Grace was alone driving our white Volvo 740 then taking her first to see the family doctor who said it was just a common flu. She was sensitive to the baby's suffering so later on; she drove her to the Children's Hospital ER to have it checked out again. The attending said similarly & gave Grace no option but to go home. On the way home traveling on 41st Ave, the baby crying got worst & she jumped out of her baby car seat somehow onto the floor scaring Grace. She quickly parked the car near Cambie or Main St & knock on the houses there to ask for help.

She called me & I don’t remember what happened next but eventually, I took the three of us back to the children's hospital ER. This time, a different attending dealing with this radical scary incident Grace reported took greater care to look & discover the baby had an ear infection deep inside that was causing extreme pain. Proper treatment was started & it helped relieve Grace's anxieties a lot. That shows how sensitive & persistent Grace can be when it comes to Natasha.

The baby was sick often & when we discovered she had a peanut allergy… I had given the toddler a piece of bread from my peanut butter jam sandwich but only the bread without the peanut butter or jam, & the toddler suddenly had facial hives. This was the start of a long journey of allergy & asthma we had to endure to ensure the baby did not suffer or die.

We were taking Natasha to the ER in Children's Hospital just about every month then. Her flu often led to severe breathing issues that required more than home medications. We learned of how asthma & allergy often go hand in hand & the cases have been increasing since the 1960s. During her high school years, the incident of peanut allergy started that required hospital care. The last known one was when she was at her friend’s house & consumed a cookie made by her friend’s relative who had said there were no nuts in the cookie she made. She was taken to UBC hospital by her friends & Grace was the first to arrive while I was still in the middle of holding the high school graduation PAC committee meeting.

She found it hard to leave the baby crying in her room once she was weaned from sleeping in our room. She often slept holding the baby in her arms on the black leather rocking chair she previously uses to feed her. It was when Grace’s mother died & Grace went alone back to the Philippines to attend the funeral that I took advantage to talk through & encourage Natasha to sleep on her own in her own room. By the time Grace returned, Natasha was able to do so. Tough love is something she had difficulty doing so when she had to watch me do it. Her respect for me as the father & husband as the bible teaches must have been torture for her. But this also led Natasha to become a lot closer & a lot more able to cope with life because of Grace.

She prayed diligently for child care before return back to work after giving birth. God granted her our pastor’s wife who was studying to start a child care service at their home. It was during our one-month-old celebration that a casual conversation during that dinner celebration that the two discover a mutual need. At the 1st birthday party, Grace made spaghetti when we invited Natasha's caretaker group over. Another was rollerblading. Another was a video animation class. & so forth.

We took Natasha to an Orff Music appreciation class weekly in Burnaby that introduced her to percussion & poetry rhymes. Leaving Natasha to Sunday School was hard. Initially, we had her with us in the back seats at ECBC Burnaby Sanctuary with the other mothers. Then we graduated to having with us in a toddler room watching the service on TV. Leaving her to Teacher Julie eventually who glue to her much like Grace glued to her. She arranged for her to join the ECBC children's choir at a very young age. Grace was very diligent in coaching her through her Mandarin school at ECBC, especially the Lan song competitions using her past choir performances abilities to help Natasha win the competitions.

Searching for a private school for Natasha ending with Vancouver Christian School, then searching for a more public school ending with Jamieson’s bi-lingual Mandarin program, then Lord Byng’s Strings program. Auditions where only 20% are accepted. Grace helped much with the searches & preparations for interviews & auditions. She also helped looked for a piano & a piano teacher & coach her with her practices. She used her musical background to tutor Natasha a lot. That was a lot of prework, patience, & waiting through the lesson’s periods.

When VCS in grade 4 required Natasha to choose a string instrument, she helped her through that. As most choose the violin as it was smaller & lighter, Natasha accepted our recommendation to take on the cello. Though this would open doors for her later on in life as there was less competition, it also meant lugging around a large instrument for most of her childhood to lessons & rehearsals. Grace was very mindful of all that. & then there was the shopping for a cello & the upgrade as Natasha grew needing a larger & larger instrument. Grace’s finer ear & quality control were a great help. Then there is the cello teacher selection as well & the coaching home rehearsals – needed a lot of patience & love from Grace.

Qualifying & joining the VYSO & the Chinese Youth Orchestra, Grace’s ability to network with the people there was marvelous as well as help Natasha prepare for those orchestras’ rehearsals & performances, RCM exams, Lord Byng performances, & cello teacher lessons as well as the occasional request from Tena to perform in FEC.

Helped Natasha with math looking & printing many kinds of math aids. Then there was the Kumon as well, doing them.

Grace’s socialization with certain parents in ECBC Awana led to the formation of the Strings Quartet, initially through the Awana annual talent show & eventually to their performing at several weddings. She was also diligent in pushing & reviewing the RCM exams & helping Natasha understand & prepare for them, including getting accompanists as needed.

Never relented & got Natasha to join the FEC Handbell. That opened doors for her into not just Sunday service performances but also special evening performances.

Encouraged Natasha with her drawing & writing talents. Prepared a gallery of her drawings in an IBM employee children's talent showcase, story writing, & even having some of her writings published in a Philippines magazine with the help of Miriam.

Initially opposed to getting a dog for Natasha as it meant lots more caring work. But did not fight against it. Shopping for one through SPCA & pet stores was an experience. It had preceded with helping Natasha get a hamster who Natasha adored & named it, Prince.

The summer camp Qwanoes. The time we spent checking out the camp before sending her there. & then sent her off via the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal & picked her up at the South Delta Baptist church near the terminal. Then the times once grown Natasha volunteerde at the camp.

Time hunting for our first house. The decade looking to upgrade to the west side & attempts to find a place to live with my parents together. The renovations we went through with our 1st house. The painting. The renovations of the kitchen. The white carpet took ages to find with the right look & feel. The upgrade of the old fireplace to look modern with a custom-made maple wood top. The times living inj ust Natasha’s & our room when the renovations were being done.

She quietly taught Natasha how to write a resume, look for her first job, & how proud Natasha was to land on the Harbour cruise tour guide & bar attendant, & find a place to stay several times. That was probably the start of Natasha's entry into the service industry adventure. Grace’s struggle with her layoffs & finding her next job helped her with these for Natasha. Her employment with IBM helped her learn how to find accommodations & travel arrangements for us. She set up an art gallery at IBM of Natasha’s drawings & published stories.

She returned to the Philippines with Elis & Natasha as a toddler, & with Natasha as an adult, & alone to attend her mother’s funeral. Our car trips on Vancouver Island & Whistler, Harrison Hot Springs, & trips & excursions to Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto, & Niagara Falls. the bus tour Grace went with Natasha down to Seattle, Las Vegas, & such, & the trip to San Francisco to introduce both our families living there. Trip up North the three of us had to visit a winery. Natasha surprised me & actually tried the boat-driven body lift to the sky.

Got a chance to go on a cruise to Alaska with Elis, to Florida Disney World with Elis, Natasha, & Rosano’s family, to Ottawa, Toronto, & Niagara Falls with Elis & Natasha, & so forth. We checked into local hotels many times in lieu of distant traveling when Natasha was growing up.

The last trip Grace had was with her back to the Philippines to meet relatives & enjoy the Boracay island resort. That was a set of memories they brought back home, with of course a visit to Emergency due to an incident with an allergic reaction.

(As part of Echoettes, performing around Asia & then to North America's west coast where she first met Elis when they were still teenagers. She had stayed with Elis's family during that tour here then. Travel several times to the States for IBM.)

In her fears & struggles, her greatest worry was for myself & Natasha when she is gone, she said.

=== --- --- ---

** Career:

Read, writes, & speaks English, Fookien, Tagalog, & Mandarin. Bachelor of Science degree from Philippine Women's University, majoring in Medical Technology in 1979, & Registered Medical Technologist. Quality Assurance. Producers Bank, Vancouver Stock Exchange, DMR on contract with Woodwards, HSBC, ISMBC, IBM on contract with companies like ICBC, Air Canada, & many other companies in Canada & USA, on contract to Worksafe employed via a firm & then Tata. A very diligent worker from the start earning accolades in Producers Bank of Philippines, IBM, & Worksafe.

Found ways to enjoy what she did for a living. Worked hard & did her best to succeed every day. Tended to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done without imposing her will on others. Arrive at work earlier than required, & leave much later often without compensation.

When retirement finally arrived in, she was considering retiring before she died but was undecided as she found great pleasure in working with the people at Worksafe. Much like her mother who worked till in her 80s as principal of a Chinese Christian school.

Earlier in life she did not see the value of exercising but since she & had an AF incident that scared her having to go to St Paul ER with 200 bpm that she could feel pounding in her heart, she started to understand & accept the value of exercising. She would start to slow & little using the small fitness center at Worksafe use the treadmill at first & gradually adapt to using the other equipment as well such as the rowing machine.

Arrive at work even earlier such as 7 am to do this before starting work. Started walking around the neighborhood & eventually caught the bus walking about 10 blocks. Learned to be proud of how much & how well she could walk. It was her inability to walk as well that gave the first sign of things more serious were happening. That became a focal point in her last year of life: the need to exercise to stay healthy or slow the progression of what was coming.

It was very difficult for her to step up to the plate when things were getting much harder but she braved it & push herself as much as she was able. Natasha helped her find some YouTube exercise routines that she eventually mastered & applied diligently for a time. Considering how resistant she was to exercise all her life before; it was heartwarming to see her step up.

Grace spoke little. I attempted to encourage her to speak her mind initially unsuccessfully. She would instead parrot back what I said. She cried a lot first few years. At work at Woodwards & HSBC, she was very submissive & often scolded making her feel bad. It was difficult to encourage her to be confident & speak out.

At HSBC, she was like most of the workers there afraid to leave first when work is supposed to be done. When TELUS split out our IT dept into a subsidiary partnered with IBM to enter the data center & application outsourcing business & thus was aggressive hiring, I encouraged Grace to apply. She was reluctant at first unwilling to risk losing a stable job. The pay was low, the working condition poor, & recognition poor. She was however diligent with her work & excelled in preparing test plans in her development job. So much so that even though testing was considered a side matter for developers, she was noticed & her boss had her present her detailed testing strategies & meticulous tracking of test results & outcomes. That was the birth of what would be her career in Quality Assurance when that discipline evolved into its own right decades later.

Did take my push to apply to ISMBC & was surprisingly stern on her stand to keep her earned vacation rate based on years of service in the industry instead of in the company. Set on what she wanted as a salary. The person who interviewed her was a blind person that headed ISMBC application development HR at the time. Her confidence impressed him & he gave her what she asked. Firm on her position in part because she was hoping to get that offer to negotiate with HSBC to provide a better counter-offer rather than leave HSBC.

Tried to get HSBC to counter, but her boss advised her to take the ISMBC offer. He had been stern over the years but he acted like her father that day. Told her he had to because of HSBC culture & there was not much future there as it was a sweat-shop & not progressive in technologies, benefits & working conditions. By not providing a counteroffer, she had no choice but to either stay safe with HSBC or actually quit & accept the ISMBC offer.

I was hoping she would accept as it would mean we could go to work together & go home together. She did. Part of the reason for her hesitance was the VP of HSBC for her department was very kind to her & the working condition, benefits, & so forth though poor, was actually better than at DMR/Woodward, her job prior where she got laid off from when Woodward went bankrupt. Her HSBC boss & project leaders though often grade her low, were not as verbally abusive (that is, shouting angrily that her Woodward experience was).

Appreciated by my billing co-workers when she was placed on the billing team at ISMBC. The billing manager at the time treated her well. Unfortunately, when TELUS decided the experiment to enter the Application development industry through ISMBC did not pan out, they decided to trim staff in mass & she was hit based on the last in the 1st out decision in the billing team. Though she was well-liked by her billing co-workers, especially Delia & Tammy, & Delia tried to save her from being laid off, the management was firm not to let anyone be saved from their mass attrition.

This 2nd loss of job affected Grace a lot in confidence. But she kept in mind that relative to her start in the Philippines as a Data Control Clerk at Producers Bank where she got a break to join the developers there, her positions in Canada had been a fast-rising star in a career she never had the training, interest or inclination to start.

Her 1st job loss was hard but she kept steadfast to find a better company & position instead of losing heart I lost heart for her first suggesting that she accept the job offer a fellow Christian at ECBC who owned from a Budget rent-a-car branch as a secretary. The pay would have been similar & working conditions less stressful. But she was firm to stay on track and climbing the IT career path then & God graced her with the HSBC position that included access to a lower mortgage loan for employees. That helped us better afford our first house on Todd Street. That was also where we met Betty that helped us into the banking mutual fund & banking services that we eventually grew better to navigate.

At the time of ISMBC's job loss, she was no longer prime for a developer position in technology, experience, & savvy. She noted how most of the people being interviewed for the jobs she applied for were much younger, more able in abilities & experiences. But she persisted even though she was heartbroken that the chance of getting a break was impossible let alone to get a better company & position than she had before. She held steadfast to her belief in God & her principles in life to do better.

It was during one of the Career jobs fairs she met Tina K. of IBM who encouraged her to apply & wait for a job position from her. Grace was puzzled why Tina would even interview her let alone work hard to get HR to create a position to offer her when there were so many younger & able. Grace noted how Tina responded: they were a dime a dozen. She needed a dinosaur like her to keep them in line. Tina was impressed by her HSBC achievement in test strategies that no one equaled. The young people are quick, yes, but not quality. Although Grace’s experiences are using obsolete batch applications & technologies, these old dinosaurs fostered a stringent quality mindset & checking. There were not many around.

Under the tutorage of Tina who encouraged & mentored Grace over the years at IBM, Grace often received top performance ratings. Tina pushed Grace to oversee others & to present her work confidently. By the time she faced a 3rd layoff in her life, this time from IBM, she had outgrown a scared timid lady into a confident capable person that can oversee things effectively.

I was awakened one night by her waking me up afraid. She told me she was scared. Her heart had been pounding hard for at least an hour & it was not letting up. I rushed her to St Paul ER who discovered it was going at 200 bpm. They gave her some meds to bring it down & in 30 minutes & of rest, it subsided rapidly to our relief.

This incident & the diagnosis from the heart cardiologist that she had a hole from birth in her heart that should have closed up but did not & one side of her heart was swollen because of it. It had to be closed or else later in her life, her heart & health will worsen. They did not know if that contributed to the AF incident or not but that it had to be done. She was scared, hesitated & would not think about it. All because she was unwilling to be forced to work overseas for up to 2 years with not much chance to return home, the stress to find a contract on her own instead of IBM finding 1 for her, & forced to work 45 hours a week instead of the 40 hours she was hired to put in, at no extra pay, her AF incident occurred.

Her fears eventually enable the harsh people running IBM at the time (Tina had retired) who did not know her & her work and were just doing number crunching to see who they can get away with laying off. She wrote a strong defensive letter back to tell them how unjust they were but she accepted their decision anyways.

This was the year when everything was going wrong for us. My health, kidney stone & bladder cancer, her AF & hole in the heart, our sump pump failing again, freezer failing during the care of Natasha after surgery care, kitchen sink backing up unable to clear, mom dying, & so forth… & my getting laid off from TELUS after 35 years of service & my mental health crashing. These are nothing compared to Grace’s last year of life.

I had trouble dealing with my layoff & severance pay for years. Grace on the other hand pick herself up quickly & started applying for a job & networking. Her confidence in her career & life far exceeded me by this point in time.

One of her past co-workers was initially a hiring manager at SaveOn IT dept who said he’d offer her a job. But he moved on to a consulting firm & headed their contract at Worksafe instead. Her ability to network is impressive. He managed to follow through with his promise & got her an interview with Worksafe. There was a considerable number of people who interviewed her. At the end of the interview, they told her they were all impressed with her & her experiences.

However, they asked her if she was actually serious about applying for the lower position role they had advertised & interviewed her for. She said yes in part that she was not as serious about looking for a better company & position as she used to be. But like her ISMBC job interview long ago, she held firm to one thing only, the salary. She wanted the same salary she last had at IBM instead of the lower pay for the posted job.

Both Worksafe & the contracting firm providing the QA outsourcing service had a dilemma to ponder over. She was willing to compromise on all things except for that salary as a symbolic gesture to herself. All her life with me I had assured her that she did not have to work if she did not want to. At this moment in her life, I had told her we were financially ok if she wanted to just retire. Our lifestyle was simple & do not have heavy expenditures so having to retire early for both of us though financially concerning was not as big a deal as when we were young.

Later, she received a call informing her their policy prevented them from offering higher pay for that posted position. But they were so impressed with her that they were willing to create a job just for her with the salary she requested.

The contracting firm PQA eventually lost its contract with Worksafe as they had promised to implement Agile & a few other things but never actually manage to achieve it. Worksafe awarded a large firm based in India that specialized in QA among other things the contract instead. PQA promised to find her another contract but was silent if they were able to. The week before the switch over to the new QA firm, she made a decision not to wait anymore. Besides, she had grown to love the people & work environment there. It was much better than IBM. IBM however nurtured her to become a very capable & confident woman with more advanced methodologies & technologies. Worksafe felt like ‘home’ for her, though Tina’s group in IBM was a real ‘home’ even if IBM was never as a whole.

Tina’s people at IBM & Grace’s HSBC period, she had established a social circle who learned to love Natasha because she loved & nurtured Natasha during that period. By the time working in Worksafe, Natasha had already become a teenager & adult & thus she became more of a friend directly to her coworkers at Worksafe.

** Natasha wrote the following snippet to Worksafe colleagues:

Grace treasured the time she spent working with you all, & was a proud member of the team. She often showed me the presentations she made celebrating team members or team bonding events. She took an immense amount of pride in the quality of her test plans, & believed in leaving a legacy of excellence by going above & beyond what was asked of her. Even in the hospital, she dreamt of creating test plans & test cases

She believed in meeting each of her team as individuals. She nurtured her relationships with each of you & cared for you not just to bring out the best in you as her teammates, but also to bring out the best in herself. Thank you for bringing her such joy in these past years, & for providing her with such a source of fulfillment in her rich life

She was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in June 2021. She elected not to tell you then, since treatment was going well, & we all thought we had much time left. This May, shortly before she stopped working, she unexpectedly began showing symptoms of nausea & vomiting, which after extensive testing in hospital, revealed that cancer had spread to her brain. She remained optimistic until the end, & was blessed to not experience much pain. She passed peacefully surrounded by family after hearing her favorite songs in a beautiful room overlooking the water.

=== === === === === === ===

** Grace wrote:

=== === === === === === ===

** My Humble Beginning (1920’s – 2022):

1st Gen – China (Fujian Province)

2nd Gen – Philippines / Hong Kong

3rd GeN – Philippines / North America (My Story begins here)

4th GeN – North America

My Childhood Years:

Family, Fun, & Laughter!

My High School Years:

SCHOOL (English Curricula & Chinese)

SOCIAL (Cheerleading)

ARTS (Glee Clubs, Music: Choir)

HOBBY (Bowling, Badminton)

Schools, Music (Glee Clubs, Choir), Travelling

TRAVEL (Philippines, Taiwan, HK, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Japan, USA, & Canada)

Sang for the First Lady of the Philippines

Ambassadors of Goodwill Choir to Taiwan

My University & Post-University Years:

Academics, Studies, Music & Fun!

My first IT job at a bank

My internship

My Hobby: Bowling

Music (Singing) has always been a passion

My Life in Canada (1988 – 2022):

Career, Family, Community, Music & Fun!

My community:

Continue to serve & sing as a Church Choir Member,

Participate in benevolent reunion concert,

Volunteered for the VYSO & AWANA Club International.

My Career in Canada:

Vancouver Stock Exchange - Developer,

Woodwards Department Store - Developer,

Hong Kong Bank of Canada – Developer/SA,

Telus (ISM-BC) – Developer/SA,

IBM, Canada - QA,

WorkSafeBC (PQA/TCS) - QA

The 4th generation Chef … enjoying our daughter’s masterpieces

24 blueberry pies All for me? … Amazing hah!

Actually, 3rd gen chef is as Amazing! Do you think so?

It has been an awesome & Amazing life journey so far …

Thanks to the author of my being!

=== --- --- ---

** Grace Sharing in Choir 2016 02 27:

Do you believe in second chances? Well, I do. In June of 2015 (last year), a colleague of mine approached me & asked: Grace, can you help do a presentation on ‘Test Management & Quality Assurance’ for my client at HSBC, without hesitation (well, a little bit), I said ‘Sure, but please give me a week to come up with some slides’, & so it was done.

A couple of months later, Adrian approached me & said: Auntie Grace, can you do the sharing for next week? My immediate reply was ‘No, can you ask someone else?’ & I didn’t even feel bad at all!

Actually, last year has been quite a challenging year (or rather interesting) for me/our family.

My Mom-in-Law passed away in January (2015). On February 1st, early Sunday morning, I was admitted to the ER of the Saint Paul Hospital. On February 2nd, I was supposed to accept a 6-9 months IBM Jamaican assignment, but, due to the incident, I was able to acquire a doctor’s note which banned me from traveling for a little while. During this time period, my company continues to require us to do long-distance & long-term traveling which I rejected mostly due to my conditions (sabotaging my career). The only business trip I made was to Calgary.

So, I worked from home quite a bit. Meanwhile, a series of repeated blood tests, lab tests, cardio tests, stress tests, & follow-up visits were scheduled for the next few months until one day, I suddenly realized & felt like my life is just confined to our home, church, & hospital. Every time I pick up the phone, it will be yet another Doctor’s appointment. It feels as though I am participating in the frequent Hospital visit program hah! Never have I been to the hospital & clinic so frequently in all my life (as a patient of course)! I may look strong & calm on the outside, but, really, I felt weak & frail on the inside.

Soon, I also started to notice that so many little things around me started to fail on me – like the bathroom lights, & bedroom ceiling lights (3 out of 4 died before my very eyes the moment I turn the switch on). The pocket sliding door derailed (that’s fine) but, the hook dropped & fell for no reason as well. The microwave works fine for one minute & suddenly stops working the next minute. We also received a recall (warning) letter from the car company (wrt: engine oil consumption etc.). A few days before the big thunderstorm, our Sump Pump (electrical) also started to trip & the outdoor pump no longer functioned & have to be replaced. Btw, our fridge also breaks down. One day, Elis actually told me that ‘maybe, you are a Jinx’, well, I didn’t say anything as the ‘Jinx’ thought had already crossed my mind way earlier!

Anyways, going back to my ER incident, not to worry, what I had is not fatal or terminal (I had a congenital defect). Apparently, I am defective since birth! & has been defective for the last 50+ years!

As for Natasha, one day she came home from work – sick, followed by a couple of days of very high fever & super low BP. The family doctor was away, so I brought her to the clinic. They can’t determine what her problem was (except that her BP is super low 50/30), so they suggested sending her directly to the ER – finally, the diagnosis was strep throat or tonsillitis (thank the Lord, it’s not so bad, I actually felt relieved!). Later on, due to her passion for Rugby, she came home one late afternoon limping with her thigh & leg all bandaged up, well, she had her knee surgery done last November & is still recovering. On Labor Day, we plan to take Natasha out for a nice traditional pre-back-to-school dinner, that late afternoon, Elis went jogging at the big park nearby, as careful & cautious as he may be, well, he dropped the house key. The whole family then spent the next couple of hours searching for the lost key on the huge grassy field, guess what? We never find it of course! So now, who was the ‘malas’ 1?

One week before our Thanksgiving concert, I have some time to reflect on the many blessings that God has bestowed upon me (and my family). Well, looking back & reminiscing at my life for the last 15 months, they were definitely not boring; in fact, they were very exciting & God has taught me true humility, obedience, & patience. Very few of you knew that both Elis & I were rewarded with early retirement packages & God had planned for me to transition over to a new job immediately. I approached Adrian after our choir rehearsal & asked if there are still slots for sharing the rest of the year. Adrian said yes, so I asked if I may do the sharing. But it so happens that Adrian was absent that Saturday & I got away once again until today, I am it! By the way, a couple of Saturdays ago (Feb 6, 9:30 am), I have to drive Elis to the ER due to excruciating pain, he thought his appendix had exploded, but the diagnosis was a 6mm kidney stone. 4 days later, on Feb 10, there was a cancellation & Elis was able to have a procedure done to attempt to crush the K-stone. Today, I want to thank the Lord for being patient with me & giving me a second chance to share His blessings.

I would like to close my sharing with a short story.

About 40 years ago in a faraway country (Philippines). Boring? It was a hot, dry, & dusty summer night. A group of High School students was headed to the school bus after a long day of rehearsal. Gigi walks in between her lady classmate & a senior high school guy - yacking along as they leave the rehearsal hall. Suddenly, Gigi dropped & fell into an open manhole! But, luckily, for some reason, both the student has very good reflexes & was able to grab & catch Gigi by her arms before she completely fell into the manhole. Gigi felt bad & embarrassed. Her feet & pants were full of mud. She also lost one of her sandals & have to limb discreetly back to the bus. However, she was not badly hurt or anything, she only spotted a few bruises here & there after she cleaned up.

Two weeks later, a typhoon hit the land. Headline news: ‘A girl’s body found, washed out from the sewage’. Gigi then started to realize that that could have been her body floating on the river bank (outside Malacanang Palace or along the Pasig River).

By the way, Gigi stands before you today, given a second chance to share her story with you all.

There were so many ‘could have been’ & second chances, or call it divine interventions. But the fact is that there is a time for everything & everything happens for a reason according to God’s master plan. Our existence is merely an extension of his breath, & as Pastor Dave also said in one of his sermons: our purpose here on earth is to ‘Honor, Exalt, & Magnify’ the Lord!

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** Grace sharing in Cherubim 2017 07 19:

Are you going home tonight? Do you have a home to go to? Well, as the saying goes ‘Home is where your heart is’.

There are at least 2 kinds of home that I know of our ’Earthly home’ & the ‘Heavenly home’. Certain days are just long & dreary & all you want to do is to go home, & snuggle up with a nice cup of soup or hot cocoa.

Elis, Natasha, & I are a family of 3. All 3 of us had major surgery of some sort last year. Thank God we are all ok! I recall when it was my turn for the surgery, I woke up fairly early in the morning, so scared, I knelt & pray before the Lord, that the Lord willing, He will not send me home to where my parents & brother now reside… up there :-) !

Advanced medical technology makes it easy so that patients with congenital heart defects need not be cut open & put to sleep. Lying wide awake on the operating table can be quite scary too, as you listen to the Doctors & nurses’ conversation such as: ‘Should we start drilling’, or ‘Push…a little bit to the left or to the right’, just because they have to poke 2 holes, one for a camera & the other for a device to be inserted into my veins. Every few minutes, the doctor will say: ‘report’, & light flashes above me & my heart sinks a little bit every time I hear the word … this is when I have to humbly commit & surrender my life in God’s hand … even though I knew that the doctor’s success rate was 99.9%, definitely don’t want to be in the 0.1%!!!

Have you ever felt weak & tired, sick or burnt, discourage, struggling so hard just to survive another day? Have you ever considered giving up?

You & I are responsible for the consequences of our disobedience & dis-believe.

The very instant you reach out & let God take your hand is the moment you hit a home run.

So, why not let God be responsible for the consequences of your obedience & faithfulness?

Tonight, pray this prayer with us: Precious Lord, take my hand. Through the storm, through the night, hold me tight in your arms.

Last year I mentioned my being diagnosed with ASD (Atrial Septal Defect) – a hole in the wall that divides the two upper chambers (Atria) of my heart, a congenital defect. The hole can range from the size of a penny to a bit bigger than a toonie. It took the Doctors six (6) months to diagnose & another nine (9) months after consultation before I finally decided to have the closure procedure done. The specialist says that in the olden days, one would have to go through open-heart surgery, but in today’s world, it is just a “Procedure”.

The procedure is roughly about 45 minutes long; the patient will be releasing the same day from the hospital & can resume work the day after. The patient will not be put to sleep; in fact, they will be awake throughout the entire procedure in the OR (wow)! The procedure involves drilling 2 holes in the groin area into the patient veins. The first hole is for inserting a tube with a camera & the other hole is for inserting/pushing the umbrella-like devices up into the heart. When the device reaches the heart, it is supposed to pop open to seal the hole.

By the way, my cardiologist did mention to me that my specialist/doctor is one of the only two within BC & that only two (2) procedures are being done per month. She also mentioned that the doctor’s success rate is 99.9% which I was able to confirm upon consultation with the specialist. The specialist on consultation promised that he will personally be performing the procedure. Not so bad right?

March 29th, Wednesday morning, my surgery (procedure) date finally arrived. As Elis & I were about to leave for the hospital, my cell phone suddenly rang & I picked it up & answered, a gentleman’s voice said: “Hello, is this Grace Lieuson?”, I said “Yes, this is Grace”, then he said: “I am Dr. Paterson, your husband Elis had a kidney stone procedure removal done on March 10th, we discovered that there was a tumor”, my heart almost stops! But then, he continued: “It is a low risk/a low grade, non-aggressive, on the surface & we are confirming that we were able to completely remove everything via the procedure, & no further medication or treatment is required”.

I was so shocked (even though this is a good thing, right?), so I told Dr. Paterson that I will be passing my phone over to Elis & that he can repeat this for Elis himself. After Elis hang up, the message we heard indeed was the same. So, we thank the Lord for his faithfulness & mercy, & then we proceed to the hospital. What do you think I (we) would feel if we had known earlier that there was a tumor?

In the hospital, after all the prep work (series of blood tests, blood pressure test, iv poking, medication to avoid blood clots, etc.) & a long wait, a resident doctor finally approach & ask: “do you have any other question other than being able to work the next day?”, I said: “will I be able to sing by Saturday?”, he said: “sure, why not”, but his gesture told me that he must think that I am a “nut” case for asking such a question during this critical moment. Anyways …

Soon, my bed was wheeled over to the OR, just like on the TV, four nurses lifted me over to the OR table, they finally clean the groin area, apply topical anesthetics, & then gave me a super warm blanket. & then Dr. Wood & a group of 5 – 6 doctors enter the OR, Dr. Wood (specialist) bent over to me & asked: “are you ready?”, what can I say right? Of course, it’s a “yes”.

The big spotlight over my head suddenly turned on, you can hear every word that each of the people in the OR is saying. & every few minutes, Dr. Wood will say: “Report”, this was when I started to pray: “Lord, let me be in the 99.9% & not in the 0.1% failed rate. I guess I am part of his 99.9% success rate grouping now!

Just like all his patients, I am required to take a TEE (Transesophageal Echocardiogram) procedure one day immediately after the procedure & then again 6 months after the closure procedure. This is a 30-minute procedure where the person will be put to sleep & a tube with a camera will be inserted through the mouth, & esophagus, just like an MRI/ultrasound, but it is specific for the heart. & so, it was scheduled for September 29th.

On September 23rd, Natasha once again hurt herself very badly during one of her Rugby games at UBC, she was sent to the ER of the UBC hospital. Mind you, this time she actually cried, not because of pain but something else (like delaying her graduation just so she can play for another season – don’t let her know I told you guys). Anyways, as you can see, in our household, one tends to be more negative, Natasha is the more positive one, & I am always the neutral one.

She was released from the hospital but was asked to immediately have her surgery done within a week at VGH. Since she is only wait-listed, she was asked to phone VGH daily at 6:00 am to check if she can be admitted for the day. Her injury was really bad, so it almost will take her 30 minutes (with help) to get dressed & air booth on.

On the 3rd day she phoned, & they asked her to go to the admission & was admitted & after waiting for a few hours, she was sent home. She continued the same routine until on the fifth day; the hospital told her that she will be admitted on September 29th at 10 am & my procedure was supposed to be at 11:30 am (even though I’ve done this once before), I was hoping her surgery will be a couple day before my procedure so that I can look after her at least.

We (Elis) started to worry if there was going to be enough time between Natasha & my procedure. Anyways, I said: “We are all going to go to the hospital at the same time & we will wait for each other in the hospital”. So, Natasha was admitted at VGH, I was able to help check her in, help clean her up, & then went for my own procedure. I did let the nurse station know that I would like to be informed immediately after my daughter’s surgery is done.

My procedure is nothing compared to that of Natasha’s which should be way faster & simpler; I should be able to walk out within an hour or so, but, for some reason, I was told after the fact that they administered more anesthetic than was necessary, so that it took me a long, long time before I woke up. The last couple of times, I was able to walk out of the recovery room on my own but this time they kept me lying in the recovery room & didn’t allow me to walk on my own, so, Elis was asked to wheel me over to Natasha’s recovery room. Natasha (as you all know her) was seated smiling waiting for her mom to be wheeled to her bedside.

Something people don’t know about me is that I may look very calm & composed on the outside, but I am a scary cat, I always think the worst, & it is all bottled up inside. & only God knows that I probably would be scared to death waiting for Natasha to come out of her surgery (not to mention that this is quite a major one yet), that’s why God knock me out for such a long time. Don’t you think God is awesome & yet humorous?

See Matthew 6:25-34

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** Family:

** Miriam: no more “girls’ night out” on future visits to YVR. She has been a gentle & sensible pillar of strength & comfort to many. In our private moments, we share the hopes, anxieties, frustrations, & joys we carry in our hearts; the ups & downs that punctuate our lives as women, mothers, wives, & daughters-in-law.

** Emy: When my Aunty DeChin was in her old age ill till she passes away, Uncle Elis Aunty Grace & Aunty Anabelle were there to support her, take her out, visit her in the homes, drove her to church, take photos to keep us in touch. Everyone went out of their way & to show love & kindness to my dad's sister & me when I was there & support me. They always made me feel loved & cared for, they were all with me to send Koko off & were a comfort to me in my saddest time. Aunty Grace was very demure & soft-spoken. She laughs at my jokes. She is polite & of gentle spirit. Auntie Grace always stood by Uncle Elis & supported his charity to others. Her smile was contagious & warm spread through her leadership as a choir conductor & pianist. A beautiful spirit touches & shines in the lives of people that crossed your path. She sings, a soloist in her own right, yet her humble spirit chooses to teach dedication & serve the choir. She gave strength to Uncle Elis. His life revolves around her, sometimes good, sometimes challenging yet she has a way with him, lovingly all the time & always planned ahead.

A beautiful mother to Natasha, guiding her with her gentle voice & sharing her heart with God's love to her, helping her find strength in Christ in all circumstances.

** Patty: May the Road Rise to Meet You is a song we used to sing at the end of our Fellowship Meetings in our Church, Westminster Church VZ (Voice of Zion) Choir, way back..... maybe that's why it was close to achi's heart too.

** Jeannie: I will always remember her beautiful smile, gracefulness, cheerfulness & gentleness. A good daughter to my aunt & uncle; great sister to Sammy & John; great mom to Natasha & a great friend to many.

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** ECBC:

** Kathy: For many years, Grace sat next to me in ECBC Chinese Choir。 It was always wonderful to meet with her happy & shy smiles every Friday evening in practice。 She had a beautiful voice & perfect pitch. It was a real privilege to be able to sit next to her, singing together to praise God。 She had such a kind & humble heart, as she would find nice ways to help us, fine-tune our incorrect musical notes without embarrassing us. I will forever treasure our time together.

** Vivien: My memories of Grace are still captured at the many AWANA nights we served together at ECBC & the many quartet rehearsals at their home with Grace giving her opinions on the way the music should be arranged etc. We had a potluck on the last night of rehearsal in their home & Grace cooked some delicious food for us.

** Caroline: She was always kind, sweet, & soft-spoken. Her gentle demeanor & beautiful smile are reflections of who Jesus is in her life.

** FEC:

** Allen: Atsie Grace is one who never wanted to, “ma hwan” people. Always wants to work behind the scenes which brings me to really look up to her. A person, who has problems of her own but still brings a smile & stays quiet. Aways supports people & brings people up. A strong woman. I’m grateful she became a part of a lot of people’s lives including mine. A blessing not just to your family but to numerous families in this temporary world. I remember my conversation with Atsi Grace when I asked her for a prayer request. Her reply was, “Please pray for Uncle Elis, he has gone through tough times (mental & physical) & depression, & for me to keep my strength for God to give us strength & healing.”

** Charine: I can't remember the song, but in the choir, Auntie Tena was prompting us to think of what we would be like if we ever met Jesus. Auntie Grace totally piped up, "I would be like a joker, so happy." I remember she vaguely motioned her hands in a juggling kind of manner as well. She was beaming.

** P.Arlene: She will be missed much also by those of us who've been blessed by her gracious company, her devotion, her good nature, & humor. We sang in the choir & doing the Hallelujah night skit a few years back.

** Echoettes:

** Peter: Bun Ha was pleasant to be with & had a tremendously good attitude when we were in the same singing group.

** Beth: Grace was the one inviting me to attend lunch hour Bible study at Producer’s Bank in the early 80s.

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** IBM:

** Tina (mentor): Grace was a very special lady to so many people.

** Amy: Grace & I worked for many years at IBM & we became very close. She was a sister friend & mentor. Supported me & gave me strength when I was at the lowest point in life. I'm so privileged to have crossed the path with her in life. A remarkable woman & a beautiful being who touched so many others. There were so many moments to treasure & beautiful things about Grace to celebrate. She has cherished a place in my heart & she will always be remembered. I broke down when heard about what Grace was going through. Grace is a beautiful being who has touched so many others. I have been beyond lucky to be one of them. Thank you, Grace, for being the best colleague & friend at work that I’ve ever had.

We worked together closely for years on St. Jude medical & ICBC projects, day in & day out, we supported each other & shared laughs & personal stories. St. Jude Medical was a highlight for both of us. Through that time, I so admired the kind, caring, genuine, & intelligent person you are. I have learned so much from you. Also, that was when you, Denise, Ina, Yurika, & I become the PITA ladies started from an email joke with your sense of humor. Great friendships that I will always appreciate.

At ICBC, Grace was the heart & soul of the QA teams there. She held the team together with so much joy & fun at work, remember Manpreet’s wedding party, balloon decoration at QA cubicles, easter eggs hunting, many potlucks, birthday cakes, & photos? There were so many more fond memories. We run to catch the ferry at the end of the day; I always asked her about parenting tips; She shared Natasha’s stories & was proud of her for becoming such an intelligent & independent young lady

She made so many tough times easier & the best times even better. I hold every memory close to my heart. I’m so grateful to have known her in my life.

Natasha, I still remember vividly how your mom's face lit up when she shared your stories & your progression in school. She was also anxious about your rugby games then & your determination of undergoing the surgery in ... She was very proud of you growing up & becoming such intelligent & independent.

** Beatriz: I had the pleasure to work with Grace at ICBC. We both were IBMers, but we didn’t work together until I was let go by IBM & Grace & Amy took me to work with them at ICBC as an independent contractor. Grace was the QA Manager & Amy my Team Lead; both were great leaders & managed to glue our team together & produce good results. At one point we used to eat lunch together at ICBCs cafeteria. It was an opportunity to get to know our colleagues a bit more. I found Grace a very humble, smart, & talented person. She was a very positive person. She didn’t talk about God, but her actions spoke about her love for Him. I loved to hear her talking about Natasha’s passion for rugby & some of her summer jobs. I admired her relationship with Natasha. Besides mother & daughter, they were good friends.

When I heard Natasha during the Service telling us how generous was Grace with other people, but less with herself, then I remembered a couple of times when Grace bought a “Pavlova” cake at the Quay Market in North Van to celebrate a birthday. She could have bought a cake at Safeway or Costco, but she didn’t. She would treat us with a delicious & expensive cake. She wouldn’t take credit for her generosity, she was special.

** Danuta: Grace was my Team Lead at ICBC when we both were sent from IBM about 8-9 years ago. I am honored she has been in my life both professionally & personally.

** Linda:

I think of Grace

I think back to a job interview

I see her smile, positivity, & calmness

I only now realize Grace meant so much more than she would ever know

It turned out to be a life-saving event

I only now realize Grace meant so much more than she would ever know

This is what it feels like to be part of the team

Seeing Grace there felt like a warm blanket

Strong bonds have been formed

Sunbeams peak through dark clouds

I feel privileged to have crossed paths

I see her smile, positivity, & calmness

I think of Grace

** Linda & Monique: Linda for getting the opportunity to get back at a workplace after a life-changing event. Monique for the genuine interest & warmth that Grace had when sharing thoughts of having a mom overseas.

Natasha, we had the pleasure of meeting you. Back then & today we are sure you have made your mom very proud & we have always known you were someone special like your mom too!

** Yurika: Grace has a warm & gentle smile. But also, a cheeky grin when she was being slightly mischievous. We've had many lunches together & much laughter together.

** Irene: Grace was a wonderful person. I’ve known her socially as we were on different projects until the ICBC project. We would stay late - she working on her reports & I was on DB stuff. We would talk about everything under the sun to lighten up our work. & of course, she always had cheerful stories & shared food with me. I worked with Grace at IBM & also on a project at ICBC. Although I am not part of the Test Team at IBM that she belonged to (with Tina), we were both often working late which forged the friendship between us. We both spoke in Tagalog after office hours. She seemed to always have food no matter what hours of the day & generously shared them with me. There was once or twice when I gave her a ride home on very late nights. Grace was very kind, soft-spoken, & caring. She often asked me how I am & how I’m coping with the deadlines. & we would always end up laughing & smiling during our conversations. And, always, she would mention Natasha & how fast she was growing. She’s a very wonderful & special friend & I will miss her terribly.

** Arlene: We had so much fun working at IBM on the test team. So many laughs. Every year we have to do our detested project assessments & every time I do mine, I think of her. We worked on a 2-year ICBC project together (she was my wonderful team lead). For the 2nd year, I sent her my project assessment but it was exactly the same as the first year & she came back to me & said “This is the same as last year”, to which I responded, “Yes because I am still doing the same work”. She did the same & sent the same one to Ed & he came back to her with the same comment. We both laughed & laughed & could not stop.

She always had a smile on her face & the kindest heart. I watched the videos of ‘Forward by Faith’ & ‘May the Road Rise to Meet You’ (the last 2 recordings Grace did with Cherubim… Jhan) with tears streaming down my face. We are all truly blessed to have had Grace in our lives. I worked very closely with Grace all the years she was at IBM & loved every project we worked on together. A special lady always.

** Ina: She was a very dear friend. Grace fondly called me 'Tita'. She was there for me, always with a smile as if telling me nothing in this world should ever bring me down. I will miss her so much.

** Polaczuk (PDC): I worked with Grace on a number of projects at the PDC. Grace was one of the few people I know that I could call a beautiful person – rich in spirit, good humor, patience, & a positive attitude. Several times, when we were working on difficult projects & things were going badly & I was feeling hopeless, Grace would come to me & say ‘Ed don’t worry, we’ll get there.’

You know she was always right – I just needed to be patient & believe – that’s what she taught me. We joked about it after – which is another thing I’ll always remember about Grace – she always cheered me up & made me laugh. Our project teams were always better knowing that she was part of them.

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** Worksafe:

** Jason: I am her former manager at both WorkSafeBC (2017-2019, 2020-21) & prior to that some years at ICBC. I knew her well from professional life but not so much on the family side. She will be sorely missed. Grace was an exemplary human of the highest order. I will never forget her.

** Melissa: She is my best friend. We have been working together for over the last 10 years & almost on every project in WSBC. She is so patient, kind & always there whenever I call.

** Mohita: Grace has been true to her name - very graceful, poised, full of goodness & generosity. I have always looked upon her as a mentor, & friend & really miss her. Her laughter, the small jokes that we shared, & the quality work that she does, are all I remember. I joined WorkSafeBC during covid when we were working from home, & I met her only once. I was so happy to have the opportunity to meet her in person. She is full of life, very smart, & beautiful. Grace has been my inspiration at work & in life. Her smile & her words will always be remembered. Her art of dealing with difficult situations will be missed by many. I do want to be positive, that it is God’s will, but I am not able to. She will be always missed. You know, yesterday only we were doing future project planning & I was told, we do not need a replacement for Grace. Her position will remain open as there can never be another Grace.

** Kevin: one of the kindest, most honest, & hardest-working people I have met. I’ll never forget all the projects in Prevention (or outside) she helped us out with & the time when she sat across from me, not to mention all of our evening chats while she was waiting for her husband to pick her up, as I was always in awe with just hot committed, he was. I was immediately drawn to her thanks to our mutual connection to the Philippines & the similar paths she took to my wife & similar background & will cherish our discussions about this part of the world that connects both of us. Made our workplace an even more positive place, & her time & legacy at WorkSafeBC will not be forgotten, I promise.

** Sue: Over the years, I have totally enjoyed working with her, chatting about life, our families, & many other topics.

** Rajmohit: the hardest working & one of the sweetest people I have met. Right from the time, I joined WSBC she has been very supportive & helpful. She never had a NO for any work given to her.

** Linda: the most genuinely kind, capable, & hard-working person. I still remember when she & I were sitting near each other on the 1st floor in RC2 & I would see her every day... her smile always made my day that much better. I'm fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with her on many projects. Thank you for your help to make all of our projects together a success.

** Srinivas: In WSBC she is the one who helped me a lot to understand the project & the process. She is the most wonderful lead I ever worked with.

** Madhan: She has a very special place in my heart. We chatted a lot about work & our family. I know that she is a strong & elegant lady. She is so patient to resolve problems with the amazing skills she has.

** Anitha: Though I have worked with her only for a short period, her work speaks to who she is; She is always two steps ahead of us. She is brilliant, & everyone wants her to be part of their initiatives. Thanks for your patience & perseverance, Grace.

** Willy: I met her in 2018. I had the privilege of working with a humble, funny, & extraordinaire QA engineer, who pushed the limits of Azure DevOps at every opportunity. She never lost her cool, was always there to help, & is sorely missed at WorkSafeBC.

** Kalaivani: She is one of my best friends at WSBC. We talked a lot in our free time during Work from the office. She supported me a lot during my work & personally. I am missing her & her smile.

** Kumar: She is always kind & supportive.

** Ivy: Even though I haven't worked with her, she seems to be so familiar to me with her daily morning wishes. The fact that everyone describes her to be so hardworking & challenging always makes me wonder how could a person continue to be so optimistic.

** Deepti: She is a queen. She is a kind, funny, strong lady. We had wonderful talks all the time. Her actions & words have a bigger impact on my life which I will never forget. I know she is a fighter. We used to have our walk tour around the office.

** Parag: I keep remembering the days when we used to have desks next to each other. We were the early birds in the office & I kept bugging her for all my queries. Hats off to her helping attitude, dedication, & discipline. Never-ending positivity, courage, & strength are inspiring!

** Gina: My friend all these years she worked in WSBC. My confidant, my sweet Mama G. I am grateful for all the time & kindness she shared with me. She was always part of my life, my family, at work, & at home.

** Sheila: Her calm demeanor, positive attitude, & great sense of humor made even the most daunting tasks easier to accomplish.

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* * * * * * * * * *

"I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy...." Philippians 1:3-4

Grace Sy-Bun-Ha Lieuson, 64, August 15, 1957, Philippines to Tuesday, August 9, 2022, Vancouver, British Columbia. She prayed on her knees at the start and end of each day. When she learned of the final hardship she must walk, she had but one ask of God and that is to remain faithful and retain her faith. She did.

Survived by her husband Elis, daughter Natasha, two of Grace's three brothers Bun Cheng (Sammy) & John Bun Tiong, their families, and many extended families on Elis & Grace's sides.

“We are so grateful for the outpouring of sympathy and support we have received. Your warm presence and comforting words have assured us that Grace will be well remembered by so many, which brings us peace. Please accept the most sincere thanks of Elis, Natasha, and the remainder of Grace’s & Elis' extended families.”

Her life is full of God's little miracles. Grace had always loved the Royals, especially the Queen. The Queen's own recent passing on 9/8 was just 30 days from Grace's of 8/9 at 96, just 32 years more than Grace's, and both of theirs are multiples of that 32 that hold some special meanings.

Mostly a quiet person, it is surprising how many came to honour her with many gracious words.

Nearly 70 at her last workplace, over 50 at her Visitation, over 100 at her funeral & internment physically, and over 160 virtually live and more later through watching recordings, over 70 at her celebration of Life physically, and over 80 virtually across the globe on 4 continents. I heard also many in her respective groups in ECBC, FEC, IBM, Echoettes, WSC, ... also met among themselves.

Thank you to the many of you who came, introduced yourself, and even stayed to chat during the visitation for Grace held Thursday, September 1, 2022, from 7:00- 9:00 PM at Ocean View Funeral Home. It was very encouraging especially when many of you are so busy with your life.

The rendition of Amazing Grace by her fellow Cherubim Choir at her funeral service on Saturday, September 3, 2022, from 10:00-11:30 AM at Ocean View Funeral Home is beyond amazingly heart uplifting. Your warm friendly fellowship during our light reception at 11:30 AM-1:00 PM beside the service brought grace into our midst. Again, God graced her with another small miracle lifting the clouds suddenly as the committal service proceeded from 1:30-2:00 PM with so many of your family and friends joining us and so joyful to meet Grace's joyful smile reaching heaven with the clear bright sun beaconing on Ocean View Funeral Home on 4000 Imperial Street, Burnaby, BC, V5J 1A4 to bring her home.

Thank you for coming in person and participating virtually. There were so many of you! It was heartwarming to hear the sanctuary-filled singing so many songs!!! And even more to see several screens full of participants virtually across the world on Sunday, September 4, 2022, at 2:00 PM. I was overjoyed when people gathered around the tribute movies presentation that my brother's family and Oceanview made for us as people ate, and chatted pointing to the screen. We thank Fujian Evangelical Church at 12200 Blundell Road, Richmond, BC, V6W 1B3 for hosting.

Service Recordings are viewable at https://www.legacystreaming.com/dignity-burnaby/

The celebration of life is also recorded by the church and can be seen at https://youtu.be/YNtTdC5Jn0c

I lit a virtual candle each time I come here as it helps me that her life mattered to me. Thank you who do likewise.