Grandpa Yung

My grandpa was 91 years old when he passed away last Wednesday 27 October. It’s sad whenever someone close passes away but it is my grandpa’s good fortune that at the end of his life, he could say he lived 91 glorious years. It's his blessing that he escaped the pain and suffering of the last stages of stomach cancer.

I try to focus on the good things.

My grandpa has experienced life and I mean really experienced life. He was an athlete and a dancer growing in China, worked for the British Navy whilst in Hong Kong, worked as a restaurant manager of a highly-regarded Chinese restaurant in Sydney. He even represented himself in court when faced with some immigration issues and of course, he won.  Fiesty is my grandpa.

My grandpa is also naturally musically gifted and possesses perfect pitch.  He arrived on the shores of this land and heard Waltzing Matilda. Up until a few months ago, he would still play this song for me every time I visited him. His love of music lasted his entire lifetime.  Even in his final days when the cancer prevented him from doing anything, he would sit back and listen to those slow, melodious, soulful songs of a Hong Kong once filled with stylish women in tailor-made qipao and men curious of western suits.

Tomorrow is the funeral of my grandpa and then in the next few days we will take him to the temple in Wollongong to rest alongside his favourite son.

I can’t say I agree with everything my grandpa did in his last few years but what’s happened has happened and our concern now is that he peacefully slips away into the next world knowing how much love this family has for him.

Grandparents are so precious. Presently, my grandmother (on the other side) is living with us and these days I can’t help but show affection every chance I can. We go for short walks, we play mah jong, we have little morning and afternoon teas, we chat in bed as if we are school girls having a slumber party...

Just today I finished writing up the memoirs of my grandma... To my grandpa, here's also my personal tribute:

dedication to grandpa yung