Mr. Don Yew Lee

The family of Don Lee is sad to announce his passing on May 18, 2026, at the age of 96. Don - father, grandfather (Gong Gong / Yeh Yeh), great-grandfather (Bak Gong) - passed away surrounded by loving family at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.

Don was born in Taishan County, Canton Province, China. He lived there with his mother and sister until WWII, when they moved to Hong Kong. As a boy, he found work using his feet to crush large lumps of charcoal into smaller lumps that were then sold for fuel. In this way, he earned enough for his family to survive the hard times of the war. As a teenager, Don did manual labor on the docks while apprenticing with an accountant. He then was able to work as an accountant for several businesses in the harbor.

In 1950, he met and fell in love with Tang Wu Chi; they married in 1957 and had three children. He immigrated to Canada in 1963, sponsored by his sister, Ling, and her husband, Ken Yee, from Saskatchewan. Don worked briefly in Montreal, learning the restaurant business. In 1966, he moved to Indian Head and welcomed Tang and their children to Canada when they landed at Regina Airport in November. Don bought the Rainbow Cafe shortly afterward from Ken and Ling as they and their five children wanted to move to British Columbia.

Don was the face of the restaurant; he and Tang became friends with everyone who stepped through the door. Tang was the chef and ran a fusion kitchen before the trend became popular. They both enjoyed cooking for customers, and people came from miles around to enjoy the Chinese, Canadian, and even Italian items on the menu. Don and Tang ran the Rainbow Cafe, working seven days a week until they retired in 1997. They moved to Saskatoon in 2000 to be closer to children and grandchildren. He truly loved visiting with his grands and great-grands, and they enjoyed his advice over the years.

Despite declining physical mobility, he remained mentally sharp throughout his life. With only 2 years of formal schooling, he became proficient in 2 of the hardest languages on Earth. He had many skills, ranging from cooking to carpentry. He continued learning throughout his life. In his eighties, he taught himself how to use a computer to keep up with the news and to access Chinese programs and entertainment.

Don was predeceased by his wife Tang in 2016. He is survived by his sister Ling and her family. Daughter, Juna (Christopher Fu); son, Kim; daughter, Lona (Byron Jenkins). His grandchildren, Anthony, Austin James, Caitlin, Donald, Evan, Jason, Justin, Sean, Tyson, and great-grandchildren Aisha, Benito, Brayden, Ellie, Evelyn, Isaiah, Jayden, Lucas, Quinton, Palmer, Roland, Rylan, and Seth.

The family would like to thank the communities of Luther Heights, Samaritan Place, and the caring staff of the Royal University Hospital emergency unit.

There will be a visitation on Friday, May 22, at the Mourning Glory - Acadia McKague’s Funeral Chapel on 915 Acadia Drive, Saskatoon, from 6 pm to 9 pm.