May Lee Leong

Her Father was Bak King Lee and Mother was Gan Moy Lee.

Her Father served in the US Army during WWII, which enabled him to bring May, her brother Sai, her Stepmother Sue and cousin Gar to the US in 1947. Unfortunately, her mother passed away during WWII.

May was 18 when she arrived in the US and learned English at Chicago's Haines school in Chinatown.

She worked in her father's grocery store which was located at 22nd and Wentworth, which is now the Chinatown Parking lot.

Frank Leong, a restaurateur, married May in 1949 and moved to Grand Rapids, MI for work and had their first two children, Lilly and George. A few years later they returned to Chicago's Chinatown where their remaining five children were born, Wayland, Jack, Douglas, Shirley and William.

Frank was the owner of Tin Yen restaurant where May worked infrequently but primarily stayed at home to raise seven children. She would also perform ad-hoc seamstress work hand sewing beautiful, beaded embroidery onto dresses for a tailor.

In 1965, the family moved to the SW side of Chicago near Midway Airport, where Frank and May opened Mee Lee, a carry-out business. Frank named the establishment after May. Mee Lee was May's Chinese birthname.

May and Frank were the chefs while the children waited on the customers for 15 years until Frank retired.

In the mid 1980's, May was employed by Flying Food Fare preparing meal trays for airlines.

A few years later May joined the corporate world and worked for United Insurance Company of America reviewing insurance applications until Frank became ill in the early 1990's.

May lived in her home on Tripp Ave in Chicago for over 25 years until her death. She passed peacefully in her sleep at the age of 96.

May is survived by her sons, George Leong of Montebello, CA, Wayland Leong of Rosemead, CA, Colonel Jack Leong MD and wife Cecilia of Northfield, IL, Douglas Leong of Torrance, CA, and William Leong of Tinley Park, IL. She is also survived by her two daughters Lilly Leong and husband Andre Kaczynski of Carmel, IN and Shirley Leong Delaney of Tinley Park, IL. She leaves behind her many grandchildren; Jonathan Kaczynski, Dolly Leong Dawson and husband John Dawson, Lani Leong, Lauren Leong, and Jordan Leong and one great-granddaughter Naomi Dawson. May will also be remembered by her brothers Gordon Lee of Del City, OK, Grant Lee of Chicago, IL and Dr Howand Lee DDS of Houston, TX and wife Cecilia as well as many nieces and nephews.

May is proceeded in death by her beloved husband Frank Chan Leong, her parents; Bak King Lee and Gan Moy Lee, step-mother, Sue Lee and one brother, Sai Long Lee.

A visitation for May will be held at Mount Auburn Funeral Home, 4101 S. Oak Park Ave. Stickney, IL 60402, on Saturday, August 1st, 2026 starting at 10 am. A funeral service will begin at 1 pm. Services will conclude with a burial at Mount Auburn Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in May’s memories can be made to a charity of your choice.