Leila J. Woo

Leila was born on March 29' 1921 in Calexico, California to George and Aileen Chin. The family traveled all over the West and finally settled in San Francisco, where she grew up and went to School. She attended Jean Parker Primary and Commerce Secondary Schools Her father passed at an early age, when she assumed the duties as the oldest child of 8. Here began her life of service to her family.

After the war, through friends, she met her husband Philip Wing Woo, whom she married in 1947. After a stint in Wells Nevada, where she and Phil ran a restaurant, they went back to San Francisco and began a family. Darryl, Don, Janice and Dennis were born in San Francisco, before they moved to East Palo Alto, California and settled in 1957. In 1961 and 1962 Nancy and David came along, respectively, and the family was set.

In 1963, tragedy struck, when Leila and the family lost Philip, leaving her with 6 children, the oldest of which was 13 and the youngest 1. Dutifully and without complaint, Leila continued her life of devotion and service to her family as a single Mom in a changing world.

Leila sacrificed her whole life to make sure her kids were never without and not once did anyone ever hear her ask for anything for herself. With her sometimes stoic demeanor, she showed more love in her actions than one could exhibit through emotional displays.

To many family and friends, Leila is remembered for the great dinners and especially the great Thanksgiving celebrations which became a family tradition, that everyone was invited to and was looked forward to, by all. After her Mother passed in 1979, she became the unspoken Matriarch of the Chin family and was honored every year at the family picnic, that she insisted on continuing every fall for the past 35 years.

She is survived by her siblings, Rose, Harry and Bob. She is also survived by Children: Darryl, Brenda, Donald, Maria, Dennis, Nancy Townsend, Nancy, Jose and David. Also Grandchildren: Michelle, Colin, Michael, Trevor, Alex, Samantha, Philip, Branden and Justin.

She joins her beloved Philip and daughter Janice in Peace.