Mercedes Pearl Lee

September 26, 1919-June 15, 2019

Our beloved Pearl, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and sister passed away peacefully in her sleep just three months shy of her 100th birthday in the family home where she had resided for 72 years in San Francisco. Her passing has left an immense void in our family.

Pearl Lum was born in San Francisco but moved to Augusta, Georgia at the age of 3 where she was raised with her 10 siblings, Ruby, Mabel, Daisy, Helen, June, Mildred, Lorraine, Frank, Arthur and Walter.

She returned home to San Francisco at the age of 21 and was introduced to Donald Yuen Lee by her sister Mabel. Donald, a well known insurance broker in Chinatown, quickly proposed to Pearl after a two week courtship, and they were married in 1941. The devotion to her husband Donald and his side of the family was heart warming. The two week courtship culminated in a fifty-five year marriage until Donald’s passing. Pearl was a remarkable matriarch in the best sense of the word. Her demeanor, elegance, strength of character, tremendous generosity, and charm were revered by her family and friends. She was absolutely committed to her growing family and was happiest at traditional Chinese banquets, and always paid attention to her traditions and culture. Guests welcomed to her home were treated with amazing hospitality and were always at ease.

Pearl’s culinary expertise was personified in her Augusta and San Francisco roots with the best southern fried chicken west of the Mississippi.

Donald and Pearl raised their five children in a traditional Chinese manner insisting on adherence to their culture, respect for elders, core values, and most of all family first. When Donald passed away in 1996 at the age of 89 Pearl took on a new dimension as the matriarch for a large family of siblings, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She particularly enjoyed family functions of Sunday dinners, weddings, and arrivals of new additions to her extended family.

Pearl is survived by her five children Cecilia Lee, Jeffrey Lee (Pamela), Corinna Liu (Denis), Camilla Levesque (Michael), and Donna Chignell (Paul) as well as by 11 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces.

Our family is in deep gratitude to Pearl’s caregivers. Donations may be made to Hospice by the Bay in San Francisco.

A memorial will be held at Cypress Lawn, 1370 El Camino Real, Colma, California on Friday, June 28, 2019 at 1:00 pm.