Just about a month ago, we received this sad WhatsApp message Dear Cecilia Thank you for reaching out to me again. I want to thank you and all of daddy’s ex colleagues for their condolence messages, white gifts and presence at the wake. As none of them could attend the Cremation service held today where I shared my eulogy, I thought it would be great if you could help me to email my eulogy to those in your circle as it’s not possible for me to share via What’s app. Gina Lee (youngest daughter) Eulogy by Gina Lee (youngest daughter) Dear friends and relatives I would like to pay tribute and celebrate the life of my dad. When he was alive, he would have moments of inspiration where he will write stories about his life. Now I would like to give you a glimpse of his young adult life in my father’s own words. So here we go: I had always wanted to be a teacher and after my studies, I enrolled to be one. But I was told I had to undergo 3 months of training without salary. I would get my backdated salaries after graduating as a teacher. This forced me to give up the idea of teaching for how was my family to survive while I was being trained as a teacher? I had to take the first job available, as a typist with Reuters News Agency. After 2 years, I was promoted to be Assistant Economic Editor. I was happy until a new manager from Hong Kong was appointed as General Manager. This manager, an expatriate, brought with him from Hong Kong a young male Chinese who claimed to be his personal secretary. But the GM’s driver told us they were lovers. The new General Manager took a liking to me (now if you look at my dad’s photo, you can understand why). He would often call me to his office for a chat. He would sometimes put his hand over my shoulder and can be quite affectionate. This act often created goose pimples for I was suspicious of his intention. I decided I would not stay in Reuters anymore. I applied for a job as a stenographer with the Planning Department which later became HDB. Later part of his career, he joined SBC and rose through the ranks. He retired in 1995 as Vice President in charge of Radio News after 35 years of service. Over the past 2 days, I begin to learn from his ex-colleagues who turned up at the wake; a facet of my father’s life that I have not known before. They were mostly his peers as well as his subordinates. I learned that he was a mentor to many of them and they had many fond memories of how he had a hand in shaping their careers. He was a well-liked boss who was fair, firm and decisive. To his peers he was supportive, approachable and helpful. His influence at work was wide and not confined to Radio and TV news in SBC. My dad was not only successful in his corporate life. Success followed him in his personal and family life. He became a Christian in his fifties right at the time when my mum was diagnosed with cancer. His faith in Jesus sustained him through that difficult period and it is the same faith that sustained him on 8 August when he walked through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. His faith in the Lord sustained him as he declared in his last what’s app message to me: “Yes I will trust in the Lord. I leave everything in His hand”. It was sent at 4.26 pm. Indeed the Lord rewarded his faith by sending his angels to carry him into God’s bosom. He may have been alone in the isolation room but our Lord was with him till the end. He slipped away peacefully and became a citizen of Heaven on 8 August 12.40 am. Now he is free from pain and in the presence of our Heavenly Father and united with my mum and seeing loved ones who had gone before him. As a husband, my dad was faithful and loving to my late mother. As a father and grandfather, he was loving, supportive, generous and a great provider. Now without him, the lizards in our house will be fearless as he will chase after them for my sake as I am terrified of lizards. Through my earthly father, I see my Heavenly Father’s love for me. My father’s love reflects the image of how much more God loves me. I am blessed to be his daughter. My last words to dad before he was wheeled into the A&E was “See you later”. Indeed this is not goodbye for in 1 Thessalonians 4: 14-17 it reads: According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord Forever. So this is not goodbye. I will indeed see him later while he is now enjoying his new citizenship in Heaven. COT LUNCH - 24th Feb 2010 (With the late Lim Heng Tow in the background) Kim Tian with his COT Pets … Dorothy, Lucy & Cecilia! Kim Tian flanked by Harry Chia & Henry Liau (Right) Memories KT treated us (Philip Tay & Mun Chor Seng) to Muthu Curry at his house last month. KT advised how his photos should be placed in the Chinese book. Dear beloved friends and ex colleagues of dad Please pardon my assumption that you would be interested to read the attached 4 articles written by my dad. He had only started writing them in the past few months when he was seized with inspiration. You can circulate them to other friends within your group whom you think would enjoy reading them. I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did. Warmest Regards Gina My Life’s Journey by Lee Kim Tian I began my journey at No 7 Upper Weld Street where I was born on 4 December 1930. My birthplace was a non-descript area off Jalan Besar close to the famous flea market Singaporeans used to call Robinson Petang (afternoon Robinson). Robinson here refer to the well-established shopping mall of the early years. My father, Peck Lock, was 49 when he had his first son. He was a chemist. He came from a well to do family and had a good education. My grandfather owned a few shop houses but the wealth did not last in the family and eventually they lost the shop houses and along with it the family fortune. By the time I was born, our family was getting by with my father’s salary as a chemist. …. MORE ... How I survived the Japanese Occupation by Lee Kim Tian Geylang Explosion One day there was an explosion at a school in the Geylang area near my house. At that time, I was out with my friend. My survival instinct was to run away from the sound of the explosion. My friend, however, wanted to go home and despite my persuasion not to do that, ran in the opposite direction. I later learned that my friend never made it home. I ended up wandering in the streets for a few days. I was lost and could not find my way home. During this time, my family was frantically looking for me. They thought that something bad had happened to me because of the explosion when I did not come home. My mother was particularly distraught and cried for days. She had also suffered a head concussion from the explosion but thank God it was not fatal. While the search was going on, my grandfather’s friend happened to walk along the streets one day and chance upon me. By now I was dirty, weak and hungry having spent my nights on the five-foot way. He recognized me and brought me back to his house. Later my father came to bring me home. Finally I was reunited with my family after several days of being alone in the streets. I was thankful I was safe out there all by myself. Now looking back at my life, I know that it was the Lord’s divine protection that had kept me and my mother safe on that fateful day of the explosion. …. MORE ... Infamous Geylang by Lee Kim Tian Friend from Malaysia When my Malaysian friend Basil arrived at Changi Airport, the first thing he said to me was “I have heard so much about your Geylang. Can you take me there tonight?” Without hesitation I said “Yes”. But quietly, I wondered why Geylang specifically when Singapore has so many interesting places to offer. Why not Botanic Gardens, Jurong Bird Park and well patronized shopping malls in Orchard Road. But Basil would have none of these. Tour of Geylang Before we began our tour of Geylang, I asked Basil which particular area of Geylang he fancied. With a wry smile, Basil said “All of Geylang, if you can.” I suggested we start with a dinner and he agreed. I took Basil to Lorong 9 for the famous beef noodle. This shop has a long history, dating back to pre-Japanese Occupation. It was started by a Cantonese couple and was small in the beginning. Its popularity soon grew far and wide especially visitors across the Causeway. While eating, Basil was distracted by a number of young women who were trying to get his attention. This prompted Basil to ask the obvious question “Are they on the line?” I told Basil there were many more from where they came from. The Geylang tour went from one Lorong to another where he saw the sleazy side of Geylang. Throughout the tour, he remained silent; not a word, not a whimper. I wondered what was going through his mind. After an hour, he said he had enough and he wanted to call it a day. I offered to take him to his hotel but he said he could manage on his own. I left for home. What he did after my departure was none of my business. I had fulfilled my obligation to him as a friend. After all what are friends for? I would like to add a footnote to this story to make clear that my friend was a bachelor. Two Types of Sex Workers …. INTERESTED TO FIND OUT MORE? … Contact GEORGE! Love Fills The Air by Lee Kim Tian Caldecott Hill is better known as the place which had provided news and entertainment to millions of Singaporeans over the years. But what is little known to the general public is that it was also the breeding ground for romance to bloom among its employees. And all this happened because Cupid, the Roman God of Love, was also busy looking for targets to live up to its reputation. Needless to say, Cupid also known as the Matchmaker, was rewarded for its efforts. Take my Department (News) for example where Cupid’s arrows found their marks in four of my colleagues. The first couple to succumb to Cupid’s device was Maimoon and Piya. Maimoon, a young and pretty typist, caught the eyes of one of my editors, Piya. Maimoon is a Muslim and Piya, a Sri Lankan Singaporean, is a Buddhist. Before long, despite their different religious beliefs, they became an item which ultimately ended in marriage. Both have since left SBC, Maimoon concentrating to be a housewife and Piya went to Singapore Airlines. After so many years, their marriage is still intact. MORE CUPID Stories Available for your Bedtime Reading!... Compiled by: GINA LEE, CECELIA TAN & GEORGE FAVACHO
Enter the password to open this PDF file:
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-