The eldest of 5 children, Lam Lo grew up during the war years in Guangdong. By the age of 13, he was orphaned, leaving him and his surviving 3 siblings separated into the care of different relatives to survive as best as they could in those chaotic times. This history made Lam who he was: empathetic, kind, caring, hardworking and most of all, determined. He was determined to provide a good life for his family and to ensure that his children would have an education so they could thrive.
These humble goals drove him and our mother, Sau Wai Li, to emigrate to Canada in 1972, trading the relative comforts of Hong Kong for the grueling, long hours of the grocery store business, where they would work for the next 20 years. Our parents retired in 1993 to travel broadly and to expand their circle of friends to include their daily Luk Tung Kuen group. These years were some of the happiest in our parents’ lives.
In the last 20 years, Lam drew repeatedly on his reserve of inner strength and determination, overcoming his many health related issues and facing the passing of our mother in 2012. After her death, our father continued to travel and to pursue the friendships and the bonds with his children, grandchildren and other family members that were so important to him. In 2017, he moved into Gilmore Gardens, where he thrived and reveled in his new life and friendships there.
Our father’s life was one of overcoming adversity and enjoying the fruits of his personal triumphs and labour. He lived his life with great determination, courage and integrity. He was a wise, gentle and extraordinary man. We have great respect for our father and have learned much from him. We will miss him terribly. He will live on in our memories of him and in the stories that we tell each other and to our children and friends.
With love, John, Teresa, Alice, Joseph, Isabella, Kynan, Stephen, Julian and Kevin.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18