Mr. Kam Yee Ray Raymond Young

Mr. Kam Yee Raymond Young was born in Poon Yu, China in 1939. He passed away peacefully with his loving wife and family members at his bedside in the care home next to The Vancouver General Hospital on Father’s Day, June 16, 2013.

Mr. Young was raised in a farmer’s family during China’s most difficult time. He helped out in the fields from a very young age and became a farmer after graduating from the elementary school. Although he worked very hard, the income was barely meeting the family’s basic needs. Fortunately, his grandfather was working in Canada, and sending his hard earned money back home to supplement their living. Not long after, his elder brother, Mr. Kam Tong Young immigrated to Canada and joined his grandfather. They started sending more support home, making the family's daily life much better.

Mr. Young continued his high school study in Canton. The distance between the village and Canton is over 20 km. In order to save money, Mr. Young would ride the bus for only a couple of stations and walk the rest of the distance to Canton. During the school break, he and a few of the village friends would gather 20 to 30 cents and purchase imported bananas from the wholesaler to take home. During the trip home, they would each eat a banana for break and then get back on the road and walk for another 20 km or so to go home. In today’s standard, it’d be hard for us to believe, but at that time, the imported banana was a luxury fruit and many people could not afford to eat it. Another example of saving money would be, by going to the alley way to get a hair cut for 5 cents.

In 1958, when Mr. Young was still in high school, his brother successfully sponsored him to immigrate to Canada, changing the rest of Mr. Young’s life.

After arriving in Canada, Mr. Young worked in a grocery store during the day and studied English at night. When he saved enough money, he partnered with his brother and purchased a farm and they started their produce farming business.

At the age of 29, Mr. Young went to Hong Kong and found his wife, Ms. Cho Oi Hing. Soon after, Mrs. Young also moved to Canada and they started their family, raising two sons and two daughters.

Mr. Young has not forgotten his ties back home in China. He directly or indirectly helped to sponsor many families into Canada from his home town of Poon Yu, and their family life improved.

Later on, Mr. Young separated from the farm business that he and his brother started. He then purchased a grocery store in North Vancouver. The couple worked long hours, 365 days a year. A few years after, they purchased another grocery store in West Vancouver with his brother-in-law and this became a very busy time. Eventually, his brother-in-law took over the West Vancouver business, while they continued operating the North Vancouver store. Over many hard working years, their children settled into their own careers, their daughter and son-in-law also work in respectable fields. The family remains close knit while the grand kids are healthy and thriving.

Mr. Kam Yee Raymond Young is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, a daughter-in-law, a son-in-law and three grandchildren. We wish and believe that Mr. Young will rest in eternal peace and happiness.