Mom, Lena Chinn, was born on May 10, 1929, in Canton, Toishan, China. She later met my dad, Paul Chinn, who had left China to go to the United States, Washington, but then came back to China. In an arranged marriage, she and Dad married in Canton, China, in December 1947.
She immigrated to the United States, Washington, in 1952 with Wayne, the oldest son, who was 3 at the time. She and Dad had 4 kids total, 2 of whom predeceased her: Wayne, who passed away in 1996 at age 47, and Laura, who passed away in 2015, just over the age of 61. Her surviving children are Randy and Nora.
Here in Seattle she worked first at Sportscaster, a ski sports apparel company, sewing ski jackets. In later years Mom and Dad bought a little grocery store on Broadway and Jefferson in Seattle. She worked very hard there to help support the family and ran the store primarily herself with a little help of the kids because Dad was still working for the Seattle School District. She worked there long hours 7 days a week. The store only closed 2 days out of 365: Thanksgiving and Christmas.
She dearly loved her immediate and extended family. Family was very important to her. She helped sponsor 5 siblings and their families so they, too, would have a chance at a better life in America. She was so happy they all came to America and adapted and prospered in their new lives here. She very much enjoyed having them nearby and not across the seas. She was a generous, loving person and had a big impact on the lives of all of them, not to mention, of course, her own immediate family. It is a big loss to lose her. She was well-loved and will never be forgotten.
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