04/05/2022
In June 2001, my father took courageous steps and brought his family from Kaiping to Fridley. Not knowing a single alphabet or what awaited him, he went to work at Hong Kong Kitchen the next day. Throughout his 21 years in the US, the restaurant was his leading destination. He never wanted to take vacations or close the restaurant until illness forced his early retirement. The same sickness unexpectedly took him away on April 1st, 2022.
Many of you might not know him, but I hope his generosity engulfed you if you had the chance. Do you want some fried rice? How about a pop to go with that? He would ask you. We didn’t have much, but he taught us that taking care of our guests should be prioritized. I remember when we had BBQs in the backyard, and if he got home before the guests left, he would want me to ask them if they wished to have any fried rice or drinks.
My dad didn’t speak English, but he brilliantly passed the written test for his license in a few tries. We asked him what the trick was, and he told us that he remembered all the wrong answers and avoided those mistakes following. The language was never a blocker for him to venture out. Before GPS, we would get calls from strangers they met so we could translate the directions for my parents. He and my mom would eventually venture out to St. Paul to shop inventories for the restaurant. They even went to the State Fair and got food all by themselves. My dad loved to explore. We wish we could have shown him more of this world, like how he introduced it to us.
My dad started to work in the carpenter business when he was a teenager. His laborious career provided us with stability. My dad once said, “whatever it takes, my sons must go to college” so they don’t have to work manual labor like I did and have a better life. When we were in college, he removed as many obstacles as possible so we could focus on our studies instead. He would cook so much food each week for us and bring it to the university before going home to rest. He never used the word “love,” but he didn’t need to.
My father understood that what matters is not what you could do but what you believe you could do. The education did not hinder him from providing for his family. Living in the village meant taking jobs that were far away, but he always came home for the holidays. We were always provided for while growing up in his household. He believed in giving everything he had to the success of the family. We wish we could have provided him that gift a little longer.
The pandemic didn’t slow him down. Even lying on his bed, he instructed us to look for a new lease for the restaurant so he could go back once he fully recovered. He was tenacious and diligent in all aspects of his life. We will carry on his legacy as a family, cherish his memories and his teachings, and continue to make him proud.
Join us Thursday (April 7th, 2022) 2 - 4 pm at Miller Funeral Home for visitation and share his memory. Address: 6210 Highway 65 NE, Fridley, MN 55432
