Gwendolyn Leong Broadway-Payne

Gwen is survived by her children Terrence Lee (Sally) of San Antonio, TX and Melani Broadway O’Brien (Edward) of San Marcos, CA, grandchildren Tami Jung, her children Jonathan and Joshua, Michael Lee (Betty), Natalie O’Brien, and Jeffrey O’Brien. She is also survived by her siblings Jeanette Yim and Priscilla Lau of Honolulu,HI, Audrey Suddith of Las Vegas,NV, Lorrin “Butch” Leong (Pam) of Roseville, CA, and Wayne Leong (Barbara) of San Jose, CA.

Gwen was born in Hong Kong during a temporary relocation for her father’s business, then the family returned to Honolulu when she was an infant, where she grew up in an unspoiled paradise. She remembered the planes flying overhead when Pearl Harbor was attacked and her father was a blackout warden, who often brought sailors home for a home cooked meal. Perhaps that was the influence for her to be the consummate chef and hostess; she invited guests every weekend to enjoy her fabulous dinners. This is in addition to working full time and raising two children. She called it her therapy.

She moved to San Francisco in the late fifties with her parents, Herbert and Rose Leong, husband Richard Lee, and their young son Terrence. There she started her banking career as a teller at the Day and Night branch of Bank of America. As she gained experience, along with her hard work and innate intelligence, she received many promotions and opportunities in the industry, culminating with an offer to run a newly founded savings and loan as one of the first Asian American women Vice Presidents in banking in California. As she was winding down that career in the eighties, she pursued a new one that included one of her great passions: travel.

She organized many “fam” trips for friends and family and made multiple trips to Asia, Europe, and Southeast Asia. In the late seventies, her best friend, Marion Wiener, suggested she try a cruise to the Caribbean, and Gwen was hooked. She cruised the world and made it her goal to visit all seven continents, which she achieved with her final cruise to Antarctica in 2019.

In the sixties, Gwen met and married Charles E. Broadway Jr. and they had a wonderful life together until his passing at the age of 65, in 1997. They lived in San Francisco, Millbrae, Hillsborough, then moved to Carlsbad to enjoy the beautiful weather and slower lifestyle, or so they thought. In addition to many more cruises together with friends and family, Gwen became volunteer extraordinaire, a calling she continued until the end of her life. She served on many boards, volunteering her time, creativity, organization, and problem solving skills. Among them were her church, Hope Church of Vista, Angels of Azeltine, Widow and Widowers Club of North County, her last residence at Meridian at Lake San Marcos and many others: you could count on Gwen to make things happen for the better.

It was at the Widow and Widowers club that she met her last husband Henry “Hank” Payne with whom she shared a wonderful zest for life and love of the Lord. They danced, traveled, studied Scripture, shared many laughs, and created fond memories in their years together, never letting moss grow under their feet. They both loved to dress up and were quite the elegant couple.

After Hank passed in 2012, Gwen continued her volunteer work and traveling. She moved to a retirement community in 2015 where she made wonderful new friends and participated in all the activities as well as being elected the board member in charge of dining relations. She loved her monthly trips to Valley View Casino with her friends, and though the last few visits were on her mobility scooter, it never dimmed her enthusiasm and hope for one last jackpot.

Aloha, Mom, your smile and humor, your energy, and your love for your family will be greatly missed, not to mention your arare butter cookies. “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Scleroderma Research Foundation at SRFcure.org or your favorite charity.

A Celebration of Life for family and friends will be held Saturday June 24, 2023 at the Chapel at Eternal Hills Memorial Park, 1999 El Camino Real, Oceanside, CA 92054. Viewing will be from 8:30 AM to the start of services at 10 AM.

Gwendolyn will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at Miramar National Cemetery, 5795 Nobel Dr, San Diego, California 92122.