The Gim Hong Lee Memorial Scholarship was established in 2012 to help a top graduate student. It was created with a $10,000 donation from Gim’s wife, Sun Woo Lee. In 2020, their son Gilbert and daughter Elaine donated another $5,000 and renamed the award to the Gim Hong and Sun Woo Lee Memorial Scholarship.
Sun Woo Lee was born on October 12, 1929, in the Wal Hing Lay area of Gom Benn Village. Starting in 1938, she attended Gom Benn Elementary School, and starting in 1944, she attended Toisan Middle School. She did not continue onto high school because she got married and came to America.
“Sunny” came from a family of overseas Chinese. Her grandfather, Sil Kay, came to the U.S. and worked in an citrus orchard. He eventually learned English. Working hard, he earned the trust and favor of the owner. When the owner retired, he sold the business to Sil Kay. He became successful and sent money home to his family in China, so they could purchase property and rice paddies.
In 1937, Japan attacked China, cutting off mail communications between China and the U.S. Life during the war was hard. With no money coming from America, Sunny, and later her sister, Shook Hing, learned to grow rice in the paddies at the age of 7. Except for rice, food was scarce. Sunny also took old clothes, removed the stitches and re-sewed the clothing inside out for sale. (The clothing was faded on the outside, but inside the cloth looked like new). Sunny walked as much as 15 a day to neighboring counties such as Sil Hing or Yun Ping to sell her refurnished clothing. It wasn’t until the end of World War II, in 1945, that Sunny’s family received mail and money again from her father. That explains why Sunny’s mother always asked if her grandchildren had eaten.
In 1947 her brother White Ton visited Toisan from the U.S., got married and returned to settle in the America. Sunny was in middle school and through an introduction by relatives, met her future husband, Gim Hong Lee.
Gim was born in Toisan, China, on March 24, 1924. He was raised in China by his mother Yuk Ying Lee and father Chung Him Lee, until he immigrated to San Francisco at the age of 9.
Right after High School, at the age of 18, in 1942 during World War II, he volunteered for the Army Air Force, and flew with the 371st Bomber Squadron. Gim obtained the rank of Staff Sergeant and was a specialist at combat aerial photography. He flew reconnaissance and combat missions in a B-24 bomber over the South Pacific. He saw action in Borneo, the Philippines and New Guinea. His decorations and citations included the Philippine Liberation Ribbon, World War II Victory Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal and Good Conduct Medal.
When the war was over, he returned to China to look for a wife. He was introduced to Sun Woo Lee. They were married on April 15, 1947.
They immigrated to the U.S., where their son Gilbert was born shortly after they arrived in America. Their daughter, Elaine, was born 18 months later. They settled off of Main Street in downtown Los Angeles. Because Sunny could not speak English, she worked in the garment industry. Gim worked at grocery stores and restaurants.
He eventually got a job working on hydraulic systems at Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach building jet aircraft for the Navy. Sunny and her husband worked hard and bought their first home in the Leimert Park area of Los Angeles.
Sunny learned English and became an American Citizen. Adjusting to life in America was difficult. What helped Sunny the most were the get-togethers with family and friends. Her “sisters” called her “Woo Day” (Sister Woo). They included Harry Wong’s family that included Henry, Hubert, Harvey and Kim; Arthur, Leland and Andrea Wong’s family; Lonny Quon’s family; James and Theresa Lee’s family; John Wong’s family that included Jeanne, Judy, Ruth and Rose; and Bill and Dorothy Wong’s family.
In 1957, Gim opened the first Chinese restaurant in Downey, working primarily in the kitchen. He ran the restaurant, Lotus Garden, for 24 years, until he retired in 1981. The restaurant’s success made it possible for them to move to Monterey Park.
In their later years, Gim and Sunny especially loved dinner with their kids, Gilbert and Elaine, the grand kids Garrett, Graig, Veronica and Alisha, and great-grandchild Jacob. Their favorites meals were prime rib or pork roast with yummy gravy.
Sunny raised 200 orchids in her backyard, loved watching Chinese soap operas and cooking. Gim loved deep-sea fishing, sports such as football, bowling and horse racing, and a night playing poker with friends.
Gim passed away on Aug. 27, 2008, at the age of 84. Sunny passed away a decade later, on December 9, 2018, at the age of 89. They lived full lives and achieved all their dreams and aspirations.