Our mother was the Matriarch of the Chan Clan, which spans across the globe.
She was the CEO of our family… and of Life.

Born and raised in Guangzhou, China to wonderful parents, father a professor of Agriculture and mother a midwife, she spent a great deal of her younger years assisting her mother on midwifery calls. It was through this early life experience that aspired her to attend nursing school and later became an Obstetric nurse, a profession which she highly regarded in bringing new lives to the world. She loved LIFE!

While working in the hospital, she was swept off her feet by her prince charming, David Sik-Wing Chan (1919-2001), a handsome architectural draftsman. They married on April 6, 1949 and began their new life together in Hongkong, where they raised four children. The family later immigrated to Toronto, Canada in 1976. They bought a home in Willowdale which later would become the Global Headquarter (GHQ) of the visiting Chan Clan and close friends from all over the world, a welcoming home away from home for all.

Our mother’s superpower was her Home Cooking. Famous dishes included Malaysian style curry, ginger and vinegar pork knuckles, turnip cakes along with many other traditional Chinese dishes. She loved to cook for her family and friends as well as for her church group at potluck and social gatherings. She lived to cook and loved the sound of mmm… yummy brought on by her culinary creations.

As a CEO of Life, she took complete charge of her own well-being. She lived an independent life after the passing of our father in 2001. Until the lockdown in March, she was active in her social life. The highlights of her activities were attending church service, going for dim sum, line dancing, shopping at No Frills and the most spectacular of all, driving her friends around doing all of the above. She passed her driver licence renewal exam shortly after her 90th birthday and held a valid driver’s licence until the very end!

On May 7, 2020 at sunrise, after 2 weeks of hospital care with a diagnosis of lung cancer and complications, our mother passed away peacefully following the guiding light of God. She will be fondly remembered by her children, grandchildren, great grandchild, nieces, nephews, grand and great grand nieces and nephews, and so many friends.


媽媽是我們陳家這一代最後的”女族長”，一直照顧及關懷著我們全球的親戚朋友。她對我們四兄弟姊妹，事無大小，必親力親為，無微不至。不用說，她更有策略地優化處理自己的生命... 是現代最心靈手巧的”首席執行官”！


媽媽在廣州出世,  外公是大學教授，外婆是助產士，媽媽是他們的掌上明珠。打仗時，外婆帶著年少的媽媽到處替人接生， 更曽短暫住過香港大埔。就是這時可能已定下她以後人生的旅程及熱愛生命。


戰後，媽媽進修護士，畢業後在廣州法國醫院為產科白衣天使。在一個偶然的機會，年青才俊的爸爸剛從香港到廣州法國醫院探望他的好友，千里姻緣一線牽... 終於爸爸結束了馬拉松越山的追求，在當時動蕩的環境，帶了媽媽回到香港，在1949年4月6日結婚，開始我們6人的小康之家。在1976年，爸爸退休後，又帶著媽媽來到多倫多會合我們，定居在Willowdale 一間温馨的小平房，開始另一段新生活。這個小平房亦成為我們全球家族成員及朋友的聚腳點，尢其是新移民的暫居所，每人都受到爸媽的熱情招待，真不能想像媽媽當日無私的大愛精神。


馬來亞咖哩鷄、豬腳薑醋、蘿蔔糕、老火湯、炇冬菇、釀蟹蓋… 更多更多，都是媽媽的拿手傑作，遠近馳名。她熱愛為家人、朋友、教友煑食聚會。她的孫兒每星期六都能享受嫲嫲/婆婆豐富的温馨愛心晚餐，而她最開心的時刻就是聽到我們yummy yummy聲，一掃清光所有她三天準備的努力心血。


雖然媽媽前半生一直是爸爸背後的女人，但她才是家庭的主柱，使我們能夠安居樂業。自從爸爸2001離世後，媽媽開始策略地優化處理自己獨立的生活，樍極地回復參加教堂的崇拜及活動、定期和朋友跳元極舞及做運動、吃點心、行街、買餸… 而不時她亦負責接送有需要幫助的朋友，過著自由自在的生活。在2月中剛剛渡過了90歳生日的媽媽，又再次通過測驗、成功取得她最心愛的駕駛執照，更在3月初自己開車到Service Canada領取新執照，一點都不想麻煩我們…


在被証實是末期肺癌後，經過兩星期醫生䕶士們悉心的照顧，媽媽在5月7日日出之前，安詳地回歸天家，主懷安息。


我們感謝媽媽的愛，為我們付出的努力及犧牲。希望她所有的親人及朋友與我們一起懷念媽媽。

By Aliana, John, Jim and Mimi (daughters and sons)