Kenneth Tsui (Nephew)
Entered
December 30, 2025
from Haddonfield, NJ
In general I was trying to think of my first memories and they were all when I was around 4-6 yrs old. I remember walking around outside at daycare, I remember hanging out on the couch w/my sister Amy, I remember spending time in the stroller with my parents, and I remember being terrified of Uncle Peter! It seemed like every time I saw him, he’d pick me up and and dip me head first toward the ground!!! So scary!
Fortunately as I grew older and heavier, that fright dissipated. I’m privileged that even though we lived in different countries, Uncle Peter, Da Yi, that’s what I called Julia - our big aunt, and our parents always made sure we would see relatives as much as possible, so I got to see them, Mark, and all my aunts, uncles and cousins many times throughout my life!
We’re staying with Da Yi now, and all those visits are hanging on their walls. Our trips to the Grand Canyon, to Texas to visit
Xiao Ah Yi (Meijwa - our youngest aunt), Yi Fu (youngest aunt’s husband), Xiao Pong (Grace), Xiao Jun (James), and Yuan Yuan (Claire), and to California to visit Julian, Jiu Jiu (Warren - oldest male uncle) and Jiu Ma (Cathy - oldest uncle’s wife). All the families would also came to visit us in Nj.
This past year luckily my sister Amy and her husband Pete wanted to come up to Toronto in April for my niece’s, Hannah’s, spring break. So my mom (Weefen), Jiu Jiu and Jiu Ma joined us all and headed to Richmond Hill and saw San Yi (Esther, the 3rd aunt), Uncle Vic, Dennis, Klara, Ilona, Dayi and Uncle Peter, Mark, Jess, Miles, and Riley. Uncle Peter was excited to host and spend time with everyone who visited.
Whenever we hung out with Miles and Riley, they loved being all over Uncle Peter and all I kept hearing was Ye Ye!! That’s what Miles and Riley call him. Da Yi told us when they were determining what miles would call them to avoid the confusion of having 2 grandmothers named grandma, she wanted to be called Nai Nai - Chinese for grandmother on the father’s side. Then without being asked, Uncle Peter immediately said he wanted to be called Ye Ye which is the grandfather on the father’s side. He really relished his title of Ye Ye.
In a similar fashion I remember he would call our aunts and uncles by their Chinese names ya shiong, Xiao Mei, and Xiao Wan - I never remember him calling my aunts and uncle Esther, Mei, and Warren. He really embraced Chinese culture in his own way, and I really appreciated that.
After our family’s trip in April, I had some more time and stayed behind after everyone left and hung out w Da Yi and Uncle Peter. They took me out to eat at their favorite places: Chuck’s Road House, where we’ll all go later today to eat a meal in Peter’s honor. We also visited Mark and Jess’s wedding venue - the McMichael Art Collection and even spent time in the room we all sat in where they were married. What great times. Peter can also say he was a birder because I took them to this birding hotspot 5 min from their house - Elgin West Forest and Ponds - and we all saw a really beautiful goldfinch!!
I feel very grateful that we come to visit this year and was able to spend time with Peter one last time without knowing it. I saw Uncle Peter as someone who cared about me and wanted me to have a great time here. I will miss his voice - I keep hearing him say “Julia”, and “MAHHHHK”.
It is a special honor to be your host for his viewing. I thank Mark and Da Yi for bestowing that honor upon me, and thanks everyone again for coming today. I hope you’ll join the family at 4 for a nice dinner at the aforementioned Chuck’s Road House on 1480 Major Mac West in Maple. Da Yi said he loved the loaded cheese fries and top sirloin with colors lite. Feel free to get that or try anything else!
