In memory of

阮錦蘭女士 Kam-Lan Teresa Yuen

November 13, 1926 -  May 13, 2021

Yuen Kam-Lan was born on November 13, 1926 in Sun-Wei, Jiangmen, Guangdong Province, China, and was the second oldest of 13 children. She was a good student and excelled in Chinese calligraphy, literature, and composition. Although her studies were disrupted by the war, she continued to learn throughout her life by reading newspapers, books, and magazines. She was passionate about health, nutritious food, traditional Chinese medicine, and personal grooming. She was known for her “best of the best” nutritious soups, braised duck with preserved plum sauce, tomato beef, and Chinese turnip cake (loh-bak-goh), among many other dishes. After the prayers and movie show of the Rosary Confraternity of Our Lady of the Rosary Church at home, the dish most sought after by the guests was her signature dish of fruit salad with starfruit slices and slender moons of melons or morsels of mango mingled with colorful cherries and berries in her home-made magical dressing.

She married her late husband, So Pak-Hung, during the war. As she was being carried to her wedding ceremony in a traditional Chinese wedding carriage, bombs started raining down. The servants put down her carriage in the middle of a field and fled, leaving her alone inside the carriage for most of the day. Although they eventually came back to get her, no guests dared to come for the scrumptious Chinese wedding banquet.

After they were married, they moved to Hong Kong where they started their family, having two sons (Patrick and Adrian) and one daughter (Betty). She was an exceptional mother, instilling love, hope, and confidence in her family through her unconditional love. She had six amazing grandchildren and three wonderful great-grandchildren. She’s the best grandmother anyone could ask for, and all her grandchildren love her dearly. She was the pillar of her family and extended families.

In 1996, they immigrated to Canada, but moved back to Hong Kong for some time. After her husband passed away in 2007, she returned to Canada to live with her daughter in Toronto. In 2019, she moved into the Yee Hong Centre for Geriatric Care where she enjoyed new friendships, recreational programs, and consistent medical care. The nurses and staff said she was the “best resident”, and loved and respected her very much. She was always well-groomed, thoughtful, courteous, spirited, and independent. During her last months, she battled an advanced nasopharyngeal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with tremendous courage, dignity, and grace. In her final week, she was baptized into the Catholic faith and was given the name Teresa. She passed away peacefully on May 13, 2021.

She was a model human being who positively impacted the lives of all those who crossed her path, helping so many unconditionally in ways far beyond belief. She was well loved and respected for her tremendous acts of kindness, love, forgiveness, courage, hard work, persistence, resilience, and genuine passion for helping others.

She was a remarkable, loving, caring, generous, loyal and supportive wife, mother, sister, grandmother, great-grandmother, daughter, daughter-in-law, and friend. She was dearly loved and highly regarded by all. We are all so honoured to have had her in our lives and will always cherish the amazing memories we shared with her. She will be deeply missed!



阮錦蘭出生於1926年11月13日在中國廣東省江門市新會城,是家中13個孩子中排行第二。她是一位好學生,擅長中國書法,文學和寫作。 儘管她的學業因戰爭而中斷,她仍然透過閱讀來不斷學習。 她熱衷於補健,營養食療,中醫和美容。 並以她的招牌營養湯水,梅子醬炆鴨,番茄牛肉和中式蘿蔔糕等美食而聞名。她所做出豐富而色彩繽紛的雜果沙律,時常在聖母玫瑰堂善會于家中舉行的「家庭玫瑰」電影晚會上,屢受歡迎。

她與已故丈夫蘇伯雄(原名裕隆)戰亂時在家鄉結婚。在她乘坐傳統中式「新娘花轎」出席婚禮途中,突然被從天如雨般沖下的炸彈圍困。 一眾抬轎人員被如雷的爆破聲嚇怕,在田野中放下她和轎子後便纷纷逃離走避,而她卻整天獨自留在轎裡。儘管最終轎夫們回來找她,但一些客人已不敢前來參加他們的婚宴。

他們在結婚後移居香港,並開始組織家庭,育有兩名兒子(炳材及炳霖) 和一名女兒(玉枝)。 她對長輩孝順敬奉有嘉,對親友殷勤體貼,是一位非凡及充滿愛的母親,身體力行並無條件耐心地給家人灌輸疼愛﹑希望和信心!她有6個出類拔萃的孫子女和三個可愛的曾孫。 她是世界上最好的祖母,深受子孫們的愛戴及敬盼。她,是我們所有人的堅石 !

他們於1996年移民加拿大,但後來回流香港居住。直到2007年她的愛伴去世後才回到加拿大多倫多與女兒同住。於2019年,在她入住頤康中心接受安老護理服務時,她認識了很多新朋友,積極參與康樂活動,並受到適當的醫療照顧。該中心的護士與職員都異口同聲的稱讚她為最佳院友,並獲得他們的愛護與尊敬。她常常裝扮端裝整齊、為人周到有禮,精神奕奕及非常獨立。在她離世的前幾週,她一直充滿勇氣及鬥志與一種蔓延于眼鼻咽而頑抗的”瀰漫性大型B細胞淋巴癌”搏鬥。在她生命的最後一段日子裡,她接受洗禮跟隨天主,並選取了 Teresa 為主保聖名。 她於2021年5月13日在主懷裡安祥離開了。

她是我們的典範,她的言行影響了跟隨她一生的人。她無條件地幫助了很多人。她的仁慈、博愛、寬恕、包容、無畏、堅毅、強大的適應力及真心熱衷於幫助別人的性格,令她備受他人的愛戴與尊重。

她是一個出色、愛心滿滿、關懷備至、為人著想、大方得體、忠誠、永遠支持我們的妻子、母親、姐妹、祖母、曾祖母、女兒、媳婦及朋友。她深受大家的尊敬和愛戴。我們都很榮幸有她出現在我們的生命裡作無懈的守護。我們會永遠珍惜與她的美好回憶。我們深深的懷念她。


Guestbook 

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Eva Fong (Niece)

Entered May 22, 2021 from Germany

The most gracious and well tempered aunt I experienced. She left me a delightful childhood memory , everytime she visited my granddad. 大姨 brought me ALWAYS Rowntrees fruit gums ( without failed ). Thank you so much 大姨. RIP. 茵上

Yuen Wing Chuen's family (Siblings)

Entered May 22, 2021 from HK

二家姐離開我們了。
她的慈祥、包容、廣潤胸襟、無私奉獻,我們永遠不會忘記。
七弟榮釗全家致哀

christine siu (niece)

Entered May 23, 2021 from hk

姨婆,
大女和禮和永遠,永遠,懷念妳!

Sindy Chan (Niece)

Entered September 15, 2021 from Toronto, ON, Canada


*** REFLECTION AFTER THE FUNERAL (MAY 22, 2021) ***

Today surely was an emotional day for everyone and I just wanted to once again express my deepest condolences for the passing of 舅母. She was the most wonderful, genuinely caring and selfless person I have ever known. When I was young and was still studying in Hong Kong, one of my homework was to write about someone I looked up to as a role model and for me I wrote about 舅母. I may not have told many people this but she was like Mother Teresa to me, she has the biggest heart and never complaint about anything. And when I heard that she used Teresa as her Baptismal Name, my immediate thought was how very appropriate, no one fits the name more than her. I want you all to know that she has had a huge influence on me growing up, I am truly grateful to have her as an Aunt. She will always be in my heart, my Mother Teresa and an Angel looking down on us in heaven.

John Chan (Family Friend)

Entered September 21, 2021 from British Columbia, Canada


*** CONDOLENCES FROM THE CHAN'S (May 22, 2021) ***

We are very saddened by the news of your Mom's passage.

She is an angel sent to live amongst us to lead by example of the true meaning of love, kindness and self-sacrifice. We are greatly honoured to have witnessed and participated in her larger-than-life legacy. Now that her mission has been accomplished, she has returned to her rightful place of honour and glory in heaven; and, her actions and sound bytes will forever remain in our hearts and memory, and as always will be treasured.

Let us cheer up and live our lives the way she wants us to.

Warmest regards ............the CHAN's

Photos 

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