Agnes Sau-Yee Yuen (née Chan)
January 3, 1949 – October 1, 2025

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Agnes Sau-Yee Yuen on October 1, 2025, in Toronto, at the age of 76. Agnes was born on January 3, 1949, in Canton, China, and spent her formative years in Hong Kong before making Canada her home.

She was predeceased by her parents, Ting Yuen Chan and Yuen Mei Cheung. Beloved wife of John, cherished mother of Stacey and Vincent (Theresa), and dear sister to Peter (Mimi), Lisa, Paul (the late Natellie), Mabel, and John (Lerona), Agnes was a devoted daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend to many.

Agnes attended Tsuen Wan Government Morden School, Kau Kam Cho Secondary School, and Ming Yuen Middle School, where she made lifelong friends. She made the journey to Canada upon receiving a marriage proposal from John 53 years ago when he was a young student at the University of Toronto and Agnes was taking care of her family and her aging parents back in Hong Kong. Upon arriving in Canada, she began working for the Bank of Montreal, moving with her husband from Toronto to Montreal and then back to Toronto before she dedicated herself full-time to raising her growing family, a role she embraced with warmth, strength, and unwavering love. Known for her wicked sense of humor and quick wit, she could light up any room — whether at a formal gathering or around the kitchen table, trading jokes and stories that were as inappropriate as they were hilarious. She had a rare ability to connect with people from all walks of life and made friends wherever she went.

A passionate and gifted cook, Agnes was famous among family and friends for her culinary talents. Whether it be a grand Christmas feast, an extravagant Thanksgiving dinner, or an overwhelmingly impressive and traditional Chinese New Year celebration, Agnes always made sure there was more than enough food to eat and that everyone had leftovers as well. She loved to host parties and get-togethers and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends as much as possible, especially around her dinner table. Many insisted she should have opened her own restaurant, but she preferred to share her dishes generously with loved ones, bringing joy through food and hospitality.

Later in life, Agnes recommitted herself to her Catholic faith, drawing strength from it through her health battles. She was a fighter of extraordinary resilience, facing multiple forms of cancer over more than two decades with courage and grace. Even on her final day, when doctors expected she would not last longer than an hour before passing, she surprised them yet again, by fighting on for over 20 hours - long enough for her daughter to return home from England to be by her side. Her incredible strength, toughness, and deep passion for life were a testament to her love for her family and friends. She always wanted to enjoy life to its fullest, something we should all continue to strive for in her memory.

She loved to travel, and journeyed to over 40 countries in her lifetime, something previously unthinkable to a young girl born in rural China and growing up in Hong Kong. She especially enjoyed traveling in the company of her friends and family, and loved sailing on cruises with them (a tradition that began in celebration of John and Agnes’ milestone wedding anniversaries). Oftentimes you would find Agnes chatting and catching up with her friends and family until the late hours of the night on the Lido deck, sipping a cup of hot lemon tea. While her illnesses reduced her opportunities to travel later in her life, she still spoke fondly of those trips, knowing they would be treasured memories forever.

The Yuen family would like to thank all the healthcare professionals that cared for Agnes and, in particular, Dr Adrian Sacher of Princess Margaret Hospital and Dr Shafique Keshavjee, for years of exemplary care.
 
A funeral service will be held on Friday, October 10, 2025 from 9am at York Cemetery, 160 Beecroft Road, Toronto, ON, Canada M2N 5Z5. Those wishing to pay their respects and celebrate Agnes’s life are welcome.
 
Agnes loved flowers and, as such, flower arrangements are welcome. If a charitable donation in lieu of flowers is preferred, please donate to any charity of your choice in memory of Agnes.

Agnes’s legacy is one of love, laughter, resilience, and generosity. She will be remembered for her warmth, her humour, and her unwavering spirit.