The Wacky & Wonderful World of Woo: 2012

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Celebration of Life

Uncle Willis' celebration of life was just that...a celebration. The whole day and going into the next was a wonderful tribute to him.
The morning started off at West Van United - a packed church - with the Lee/Louie clans taking half of it. Brian, Scott and Stephen, and Uncle Bill, were amazing speakers.
The burial was at Capilano Cemetery with only extended family.

Then the reception at Westin Bayshore with jazz music, and oodles of food. Prime rib, sushi, pasta, dessert, and good coffee. The whole event felt like Uncle Willis. He had his hand in the planning, that is for sure.

The next day, Brad chartered a fishing boat in honour of Uncle Willis. Uncle Willis had started the annual Pender Harbour Trips when we were kids. It was those trips that drew us, cousins, closer together. A 20lb spring salmon was caught by Alexander. And everyone gave credit to Uncle Willis (and the good Lord) for that catch as no other boat around caught a fish.

I was on the non-fishing boat with Geoff, Leslie, Derek, Letti, Jaclyn, Madison and little Jessica. Our honorary family member, Alan Gelfand, joined us (it was his boat that we were on). The weather was gorgeous and it couldn't have been a better day.

Then we ate that 20-pounder at Foo's. There must have been 50 Lee's taking over that restaurant.

All in all, the weekend was about family. Uncle Willis was all about family. I feel so incredibly blessed to be part of famiLEE.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Shared photo book from deanna

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Thursday, August 23, 2012

Uncle Willis RIP Aug 23, 2012

A couple of blog entries ago, there's a picture of me with Uncle Willis & Auntie Maye at Crofton Manor in April. On that visit, I shared with him the Phil 4:6-7 verse, which says, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer & petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Then Uncle Willis exclaimed in his typical enthusiasm, "CLAIM IT".

To which I said to him, "Ah, but Uncle Willis, do you know what the 4 words are BEFORE that verse? It is "THE LORD IS NEAR."

So I told Uncle Willis, that we should start that popular verse with "THE LORD IS NEAR...Do not be anxious." By saying that the Lord is near, takes us out of the equation. It's not our action of not to be anxious. We are not to be anxious BECAUSE the Lord is near.

Uncle Willis said, "I learned from you today."

I wasn't able to see Uncle Willis again after that, but every time I called, he would tell me that he loved me. I think he made sure to tell everyone that he loved them because he knew that THE LORD IS NEAR.

I shed many tears for my enthusiastic and loving uncle today. But he is no longer suffering from stag 4 lung cancer, and for that I am glad. But I sure feel an emptiness in my heart for him.

Uncle Willis was the only uncle on the Lee side that took me out for a whole day adventure. I don't know how old I was, maybe 13. We went to Fort Langley. I also remember we stopped at a White Spot drive thru and had a blueberry pie. He sure made me feel special...just me and him...out for a whole day.

Uncle Willis was the one that arranged for me to go to 24th Ave. Gospel Chapel since it would be too far for me to go to his church in West Van. He arranged for a lady to pick me up that first Sunday, and she & her family continued to take me to church for many years after that.

When I got engaged, Uncle Willis took me out for dinner to Hon's Wonton House on Robson. He gave me his stamp of approval for Michael. He said he liked Michael because he doesn't strut his feathers around like a peacock.

At my wedding reception, I specifically left instructions for the caterer to make a fresh pot of coffee (not hotel coffee but real quality coffee) just for Uncle Willis. I think the catering manager personally delivered that pot of coffee to Uncle Willis directly. I didn't want him to rate "the coffee a D. D for dishwater."

I am chuckling now about an incident in NYC when we were there for Scott & Cindy's wedding. Something about buying orange juice at a corner store as it was cheaper than paying hotel prices. Then Auntie Maye saying, "You better go get that orange juice if you know what is good for you." All of a sudden, there was a whole group us heading to that corner store to buy groceries. An asian invasion in that little store!

These are just some of my memories with Uncle Willis.