Ju Yick Lai, age 94, of Orlando, Florida, passed away on Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at his home in Orlando, Florida.
Ju Yick was born on May 19, 1926, in Tai Shan, Guangdong, China, son of the late Liu Ye Lai and You Ti Chin. At the age of 15, Ju Yick went to Tai Shan High School, and after graduation, he attended the Guo Min College. From 1949 to 1960, he served as Director of Human Resources at the government of Guangdong Province in Guangzhou. From 1961-1979, Ju Yick served as Director of Human Resources at the College of Aquatic Products in Zhanjiang City, Guangdong.
In 1953, Ju Yick married his wife, Wai Tong Lai in Guangzhou City. Their four children, Xiao Jian, Xiao Qing, Xiao Feng and Xiao Ke, were born in Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province.
In 1981, Ju Yick and his wife immigrated to the United States of America and worked at clothing factories in New York City until their retirements in the late 1980s.
Ju Yick and his wife moved to Orlando in 1996, and have lived with their daughter and her family ever since.
Always optimistic and responsible, Ju Yick was well liked by his colleagues and family members throughout his life. To his family, he was a sweet and loving husband, a caring father and grandfather. To his colleagues, he was a great friend. He enjoyed reading Chinese literature, cooking meals for his family, and singing popular tunes in both Chinese and English. He was loved deeply by his family.
Ju Yick is survived by his wife, Wai Tong Lai; four children, Xiao Jian and his wife Katie Zhuo of Lexington MA, Xiao Qing and her husband Xi Peng Yin of New York, NY, Xiao Feng and her husband Jian Zhao of Orlando, FL, and Xiao Ke and his wife Wendy Chung of New York, NY; nine grandchildren, Paley Yin and his wife Annie Huang, Heidi Li Ross and her husband Michael Ross, Dan Zhao, Page Yin and his wife Karmen Au, Cindy Li, Shirley Li, Vivian Zhao, George Li, and Andrew Li, along with one great-granddaughter Kelsey and many nieces and nephews.
To share your memories of Ju Yick or leave a special condolence message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.
Wai Tong Lai's Tribute to her husband, Ju Yick Lai
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是一个体贴的好丈夫也是个好父亲,好祖父,好朋友。与他在一起的几十年给我无数的美好回忆。
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前,他握着我的手告诉我,第一次收到我的信时,深感我的字迹很漂亮,信笺很美丽,他很喜欢。这就是他少有的浪漫语言了。我很感动。他真的是个非常好的丈夫。
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搞运动,正直的他毫不掩饰地在小组发言谈对这些政治运动的一些看法,当时立即受到批判,白天遭批判晚上回家做家务,半夜起来ç
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对孩子的教育,不压服,而是摆事实讲道理,所以孩子们都很信服,听他的话。记得那时我们因工作两地分隔,孩子们跟着我在广州,一次,我同事问爸爸妈妈谁最好,他们回答两个都好,又问谁好多一点点呢?"爸爸"。在孩子们的心目中,爸爸言传身教,从小就是学习的榜样。
追忆往事,似水流年。在70多年的岁月里,我们相依相伴不离不弃,一起闯过生活中的道道难å
³ï¼Œä¹Ÿä¸€èµ·ä½"验生活中,我们辛劳付出而结下的累累硕果。四个孩子,九个孙子都健康的成长了,曾孙Kelsey更是活泼可爱,看在眼里心中感到无比幸福。
深切感谢我å
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English Translation
Dear family and friends,
Thank you for joining us today to pay tribute and say farewell to my husband Ju Yick. My husband was a loving husband, a caring father and grandfather, and a man of warmth who felt an immense sense of responsibility. To his friends and colleagues, he was loyal and trusting and always ready to help with all he could. All these decades spent with him have given me countless wonderful and unforgettable memories.
When I was just married and not in good health, Ju Yick took care of all the big and small things in the family. No matter how tired he was from work and business trips, after coming home the first things he did were the house chores - like washing bed sheets and mosquito nets, amongst many other tasks. I cannot imagine how much love he must have had in order to do it day after day and year after year. All of these wonderful memories of him have never faded in my mind. Back when I was in China, I often was overloaded with teaching and came home very tired after a long day's work. My husband was always very considerate, putting my needs before his by taking care of household chores, allowing me plenty of time to rest and prepare for lessons. He wasn't a man to sweet-talk, but rather he was a man of action; he always put me and the family first.
Recently, Ju Yick held my hand and told me that when he received my first letter, he felt that my handwriting was very beautiful as was the stationery, which he liked very much. This showcased his rare romantic language, and I was so touched that he still remembered this little detail. He was truly a very sweet husband.
Our four children were very well cared for and nurtured since childhood. When my youngest son was born, I was sick and was told by my doctor to not have too much contact with him. Due to this situation, my husband would rush home at noon every day under the scorching sun to cook, take care of the children, wash the diapers, and feed the baby.
In the 1960s, China was in a time of political turmoil. Ju Yick was frustrated and disagreed with these movements, and honestly aired his opposing views to the public. He was immediately marginalized by his friends and coworkers and openly criticized for his opinions. Yet, even after enduring so much personal insult, he still returned home each night and did housework without any complaint. He never let me know of his suffering, because he did not want me to worry about him.
My husband was an excellent caretaker and educator to our children. He never forced his opinions upon them, or asked them to blindly accept what he proposed. Instead, he utilized facts and reasoning to help shape the children to listen and understand his words. I remember a period of time when we were separated due to work, and the children stayed with me in Guangzhou. One time, my colleague asked the kids: "Between your father and mother, who do you believe is best?" They all answered, "both." When my colleague then elaborated, "well, tell me, who is a little bit better?" They responded "our father." In the minds of our children, their father was a clear role model from an early age.
Reminiscing on the past, it seems like time flew by quickly. In the more than 70 years that we spent together, we have gone through so many obstacles and difficulties in our lives. We are blessed to have raised four children, who in turn raised nine grandchildren, who have all grown up in good health. We are also blessed with our first great granddaughter Kelsey, who is a bundle of joy.
To my husband Ju Yick, I want to thank you for more than 70 years of a wonderful life together. I will miss you always and forever. Although in death we did part, the memory of our days together will give me strength and meaning to keep on going. You will live in my heart forever.
Click the images below to watch Parts 1 and 2 of Ju Yick's service. If you have difficulty with the volume, please use headphones.