Obituary of Bok Mun Yee

March 20, 1923 – November 14, 2020

Bok Mun Yee. Age 97 of Wyandotte.

Husband of the late Jessie Yee.  Father of Mary Yee, Henry (Mei) Yee and John Yee.  Grandfather of Michael, Christopher (Patricia), Jennifer, Arik and Kody.

Bok Yee was the owner of Kowloon Chop Suey Restaurant.

Family Tribute ~ 

Bok Mun Yee was born in 1923 in a rural village south of the city of Canton, China (now called Guangzhou). China suffered economic and political turmoil as a result of the Japanese invasion. Wanting to help his family, at the age of 16 Bok traveled alone to the United States to seek work, carrying nothing more than a role of dimes. The U.S. was deep in enforcing the Chinese Exclusion Act, and it was a difficult time for people of Chinese descent. Nevertheless, Bok worked hard to persevere, acclimate, and learn the English language.

Bok proudly served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, he settled in Detroit, Michigan, operating the New Star Chinese Hand Laundry on Grand River. As his family grew, he took on extra jobs, working concurrently in machine tooling at the Ex-Cell-O Corporation.

In the 1960s, Bok and his wife Jessie opened the popular carry-out restaurant, Kowloon Chop Suey, in Wyandotte, Michigan. The restaurant became a family affair, where Bok and Jessie cooked, each of their three children worked in customer facing, and Bok’s mother (who had immigrated to the U.S.) worked behind the scenes. They operated the restaurant until their retirement 28 years later.

All the while, they instilled in their children the importance and value of a obtaining a good education. Bok was active in the local branch of the Yee Family Association, which provides community for the descendants of the original immigrants from his village in China as well as raises money for scholarships for members’ children.

In retirement, Bok enjoyed fishing, gardening, dining on all kinds of international cuisine, and devising techniques to deter squirrels from feasting on the ripest fruit on his apple trees. But what Bok most enjoyed was proudly watching his grandchildren grow to become caring, productive, and professional young adults.

In a ceremony scheduled for 2021 (regrettably postponed from Spring 2020 because of the pandemic), Bok will be honored posthumously with a Congressional Gold Medal in appreciation for his service during World War II, an initiative begun by the Chinese American World War II Veterans Recognition Project.

Bok Mun Yee is survived by three children – Mary, Henry (Mei), and John– and five grandchildren – Michael, Christopher (Patricia), Jennifer, Arik, and Kody. He is preceded in death by his wife Jessie.

Bok will be interred in a private ceremony. The family would like to arrange a celebration of his life after the pandemic is over.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (www.cacanational.org), specifically toward the Chinese American World War II Veterans Recognition Project (www.caww2.org/donate).