Gay Poon Louis

April 28, 1930 – February 5, 2017

It is with great sadness that the family announces the passing of Gay Louis, a prodigious Chinese poet in the traditional and classical style of Shee and Chee poetry made popular in the Song Dynasty. Remarkably, Gay composed over 3,300 poems which were published in over 10 books. He was editing his last book of poems up until the day his declining health caught up to him. Well known in poetry circles in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, Gay was most proud of being asked to be an Honourary Editor for the Vancouver Maple Poem Society in 2015. Gay was born in China’s Toisan county and arrived in Vancouver in 1949. He worked in the family business, the New Chungking Restaurant, located in Vancouver’s Chinatown. It served Cantonese village-style cooking and it’s colourful neon sign welcomed many generations of customers to Chinese fare. Disaster struck the popular restaurant in 1963 when fire destroyed the building. It took him several years of savings and hard work in other landmark restaurants, including Beachcomber, to get re-established amidst a growing family. In 1969, Gay and his brother Steve opened up Foo’s Restaurant on Pender Street for a new generation of diners. In retirement, Gay devoted his time to his family, gardening, reading, mah-jong, and his passion for poetry writing, all of which kept his mind sharp and his spirits high. He had a fondness for Triple O burgers, tuna sashimi, instant coffee and American cigarettes. He is predeceased by his loving wife, Lilian, and leaves behind his children Mary Ann (James), Philip (Julie), Bruce (Tricia), Tina (Ron), Kevin (Lisa), and his grandchildren Derek (Judy), Taryn, Conrad, Joseph, Madison, Graeme, Erin, Ben, Nina, and great grandchildren Mikayla and Chloe. Service to be held Tuesday, February 28, 2017 at 9am at the Chapel at Forest Lawn, 3789 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Canada.