Choung Yee

Rose was married for 48 years to Young (predeceased). She was a loving mother to Philip (Nancy) and Margaret. A proud grandmother to Lance (Elizabeth), Ashley (Eric), Caitlin (David), and Emily (Briana); a loving great-grandmother to Johnathon, Callen, Archer, Wrenly, and Grace. Rose is survived by two sisters, and one brother, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Rose met her husband Young through an agency that listed prospective brides. Young met forty-three ladies before he selected Rose, number forty-four at the recommendation of a matchmaker. They were married on August 16, 1948. They came to the United States in November 1948 traveling on a small airplane. It took thirty-six hours with stops in Hong Kong, Manilla in the Philippines, Guam Island, Wake Island, And Hawaii before finally landing in San Francisco. After arriving in the states, she took on the Americanized name “Rose” since her Chinese name translated to that description.

Rose and Young left San Francisco on January 2, 1949, and arrived in Detroit by train after three days. They helped run Rose’s older brother’s beansprout business for about a year. Then they moved to Harper Avenue and St. Cyril Street in Detroit and opened a Chinese Hand Laundry business. They sold this business on June 8, 1958, and learned the restaurant business from Rose’s older sister. On October 7, 1958, Rose and Young opened Wan Kow Chop Suey in Grosse Pointe Woods, MI. When Young unexpectedly passed away in 1990, Rose’s daughter, Margaret, left her job at GMAC to help run Wan Kow. Rose worked until 2016, when she finally retired at the age of 86.

In her retirement, Rose enjoyed gardening. Her daughter took her traveling to Sedona, AZ, the Route 66 road trip, various National Parks, and back to her homeland in the Guangdong Province.

Rose was loved by many. She was always kind, and had a ready smile for all who were fortunate to cross her path.

Choung’s committal service will be held at Mount Hope Memorial Gardens, 17840 Middlebelt Rd, Livonia, MI 48152, US, on July 28, 2026, from 11:00 am to 11:30 am.