Yim Mui Cheung

Yim Mui was born on January 8, 1949, in Canton (Guangzhou), China. She trained and was certified as a bookkeeper in Hong Kong, and in 1979 she came to the United States to begin again. In those early years, she worked where she could: as a secretary, as a receptionist at an import/export business, and as a hostess at Hunan Chinatown in Washington. On August 14, 1984, she became a U.S. citizen. Little by little, she built a new life in a new country.

Ultimately, she set her path on becoming an insurance agent. Studying for the licensing exam with a Chinese-English dictionary while working and raising her son, she persevered until she earned her license. She went on to spend over 20 years with New York Life, serving clients across Washington, Maryland and Virginia, and she never once drove a car. She reached every one of them by Metro, by bus and on foot. The company honored her for her more than 20 years of service, a milestone few agents reach. Her clients trusted her because she was honest, she worked hard, and she always showed up for them.

Yim Mui became a member of Chinese Community Church on April 4, 1999. For years, she was a faithful member. She sang in the Cantonese Choir and served on the church's board and committees. She helped organize and serve at CCC's Fall Festival and the Wah Luck Christmas parties, and she volunteered with the Chinatown Service Center.

Determined, independent and devoted, Yim Mui walked every day and took exercise and dance classes with her closest friend. She chose healthy food, with one weakness: dark chocolate. But nothing came before her family. She made sure her son always had a home-cooked meal, and she never went to sleep until she knew he was safely home. She knitted him and his wife more hats and scarves than they could count, and sweaters for her grandchildren before they were even born. She loved being a grandmother: celebrating birthdays, making sure the kids had their socks on when the weather turned cold, and always watching over their safety. Even in her illness, she kept a careful eye on them as they played.

Her perseverance, strength, quiet devotion and selfless love live on in her family: in the hats and sweaters she knitted, and in every reminder to put on socks when the weather turns cold. She will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered.

Yim Mui leaves behind her son, Allen, and his wife, Yvonne; the grandchildren she adored; her older sister and older brother; and her two younger brothers.

Family and friends are invited to celebrate her life at a memorial service on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at 1 p.m. at Chinese Community Church, 500 I Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to the Yim Mui (May) Cheung Memorial Fund for the Chinatown Service Center, Chinese Community Church, 500 I Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20001. Donations can be made at https://www.cccdc.com/donate/. Please note "YMC Fund" with your donation.