Katherine Yee (nee Wong) mother, grandmother, and aunt passed away leaving behind
a family who will remember her for her strength, determination, and unmistakable way
of doing things. Kathy was also wife of the late Bill Yee, who only very recently predeceased her.
Kathy was born on June 18, 1940, in Taishan, Guangdong, China - the fourth of seven daughters, and older
sister to two younger brothers. In 1964, at the age of 24, Kathy immigrated to Canada
by way of Hong Kong, joining her husband Bill and beginning a new chapter in
Espanola, Ontario.

Settling in Northern Ontario, Kathy learned the restaurant business from the ground up.
Together with her husband Bill, she built a life around the restaurant ultimately opening
a diner in Midtown Toronto. Kathy became the heart and matriarch of the family
business. She was a familiar and welcoming presence to customers, and she genuinely
loved the daily interactions—the conversations, the familiar faces, and the people who
came through the business.

Kathy was a no-nonsense mother to Verna (Andrew), Christine (Jamie), and Edwin
(Etta). She had little patience for anything frivolous or trifling. She was firm, practical,
direct, and incredibly hard-working, teaching her family through example.

However, with her grandchildren in Toronto, rules went out the window. The practical,
disciplined mother was a doting grandmother to Jack, Aidan, Lyndon and Abigail,
always ready with treats at any hour and happy to indulge them in ways her children
might never have imagined. With each visit of her granddaughters Rae, Jaden and Fiona from Calgary, Kathy
gave the same Chinese expression of awe and pride in their growth and success at
school and work.

Kathy was a die-hard Leafs fan ever since arriving in Canada and would have enjoyed
their last Stanley Cup win. In her mix of Chinese and English, she relished and enjoyed
Hockey Night in Canada, familiar with players of the day, rules of the game and latest
trades. She brought the same excitement to her grandsons’ games when she could get
out to see them.

She will be remembered for her strength, her practicality, and the many ways she cared
for her family.

May Kathy finally rest in peace.

The family would like to thank Yee Hong Garden Terrace for their care of Kathy and Bill, and for the compassionate doctors and nurses at Sunnybrook Hospital.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:

https://www.yeehong.com/donate/

https://foundation.sunnybrook.ca/fundraising-priorities/odette-cancer-program/