In memory of
Kitty Lai Ying Chan
March 15, 1961 -
March 27, 2021
With deep sadness we share that our beloved Kitty Lai Ying Chan passed away peacefully in her home in Scarborough with her family by her side on March 27, 2021, at the age of 60.
Kitty was born on March 15, 1961 in Hong Kong to Wa Kiu Chau and Pui Yin (Kwan) Chau. She immigrated to Canada at the age of 22, settling in Scarborough, Ontario. On December 2, 1983, she married Tony Tak Fai Chan. Together, they worked tirelessly to provide every opportunity to their son, Wilson and daughter, Vivian.
Kitty was known for her devotion to her family, her infectious smile, and her kind and playful spirit. All those who knew Kitty were touched by her generosity and selflessness. She found the greatest fulfilment in spoiling her loved ones (especially her grandson, Tyson).
She had a passion for expressing herself through her unique and fearless sense of style. She lived on the edge of fashion and she allowed her vibrant spirit to present itself through her apparel, colours, textures, trinkets and accessories, hair, makeup, shoes and any other little details that she adorned.
She made a positive impact in her community where she welcomed and assisted thousands of clients at CIBC retail branches for over 30 years. In many cases, as a testament to Kitty’s genuinely caring persona, client relationships would quickly turn into real friendships and it would be commonplace for Kitty to walk into a restaurant or store in her community and be warmly greeted by people whom she had helped at her place of work.
In recent years, she came to discover the joys of traveling and relished in many voyages with her family and friends. Her adventures brought her to places far and wide, including Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Japan, and Taiwan. In 2015, Kitty, her husband Tony, and a group of her closest friends from Hong Kong attended her son’s wedding in South Korea. Soon after, Kitty was blessed with a grandson, Tyson. He proudly displays his love and affection for his beloved Grandma (Maa-Maa) through his adorable drawings of her.
Kitty battled cancer courageously with her family’s loving support every step of the way. She is survived by her husband Tony, her son Wilson (Taehun), her daughter Vivian, her siblings Lisa (Paul), Stephen (Shelley), Debbie (Dennis), and Alvin (Debby).
Kitty Lai Ying Chan was honoured with a beautiful funeral service on April 5, 2021 at Elgin Mills Cemetery. Please feel welcome to watch a recording of the service in the ‘Media - Videos’ section.