We are saddened to share that our father William (Bill) Yee passed away just two months shy of his 90th birthday.

Born in Hoi Ping, Guangdong province of China, Bill came to Canada alone as a 13-year old brought across the Pacific by plane to join his father. Like many newcomers of his generation, his early years were not easy. After arriving in Canada, he ended up spending a part of his childhood living with the family of a policeman in Peterborough, Ontario. In his later teens, he worked hard, far from the home and culture he left behind. Those experiences contributed to his resilience, but would also later define his good-natured, approachable, and easy-going personality.

As a young man, Bill traveled throughout Northern Ontario, working in Chinese restaurants in small towns and mining communities like Elliot Lake and maintained lifelong connections to Chinese restaurant/business owners in communities such as Wawa, Sault Ste. Marie, Meaford, and Blind River.

Eventually, Bill achieved his dream of owning a restaurant of his own in Espanola, Ontario. There, he brought our mother Katherine from China to join him, and in Espanola all three children were born. From there, the young family moved to downtown Chinatown in Toronto, and both parents ran a restaurant in Midtown for 10 years.

His story reflected the experience of many immigrants who arrived with little but worked tirelessly to create a better future for themselves and their families.

Bill will be missed by his wife of 60 years, Katherine (nee Wong), his daughters Verna (Andrew), Christine (Jamie), and son Edwin (Etta). Above all, Bill cherished his grandchildren Rae, Jaden, Fiona, Jack, Lyndon, Aidan and Abigail. He took pride in the accomplishments of those he loved and found joy in family gatherings and meals. He was most happy having a good coffee and pastry or donut in the city, happily being joined by a family member or friend in a donut shop or finding a charming neighbourhood café. He truly appreciated both.

The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated team at Yee Hong Garden Terrace for their care and support. ‎ We are also grateful to the staff at Scarborough General Hospital over the years. In lieu of flowers in memoriam donations may be made by visiting the “Donations” tab at the top right hand side of this page.